THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


MARIGNY,    Bernard,    To    his    Fellow    Citi- 
'zens.    [New  Orleans,   1853].  $15.00 

Narrative    of    the    Life    of    this    picturesque    old    citizen 
of    New    Orleans,    written    by    himself    in    his    70th    year. 
Born    in   New    Orleans,    1785,    served    with    Gen    Wilkinson 
in    the    American    Army,    member    of    the    Louisiana    Con- 
vention   of    1812,    framing    the    First    Constitution    of   La., 
chairman    of    the    La.    Defense    Committee    of    1814,    Presi- 
dent  of   the  Senate,    1822,   etc.,   This   narrative   touches   also 
affairs    of    the    Tefcas    Revolution,    Gen.    Jackson,    Louisiana 
Purchase,    etc. 

1035  Reflexions   sur   la   Politique   des   Etats- 

Unis.    New   Orleans,    1854.  $15.00 

The  original  edition  of  Marigny's  History  of  Louisiana, 
written  from  his  own  memoirs,  and  mostly  gossip,  re- 
lating to  Jas.  Wilkinson,  Texas  Louisiana  boundaries, 
Mississippi  navigation,  Edw.  Livingston,  Burr's  Conspira- 
cy, etc.  Printed  privately  for  the  author,  in  French  and 
English  editions. 

1036  Thoughts   upon   the   Foreign   Policy   ol 

the    U.    S.,    from    1784    to    the    inauguration    of 
Franklin    Pierce.    New    Orleans,    1854.          $15.00 

The  English  edition  of  preceeding  No.,  privately  printed 
for  the  author.  Fine  large  uncut  copy  in  a  fine  binding. 
Curious  work  of  history,  by  a  curious  personality  of 
Louisiana.  See  also  under  La.  native.  No.  950. 


THOUGHTS 

UPON  THE 


OF  THE  UNITED-STATES, 


FROM  1784  TO  THE  INAUGURATION 


oy 


STATISTICS  OF  SPAIN, 

OF  THE  ISLAND  OF  CUBA,  &C. 


BY 


N  E  W '  -  O  R  L  E  A  N  S  : 


6tteet. 


1854. 


Entered  according  to  act  of  Congress  in  tho  year  1854  (May  10th) 
by  13.  MAKKJNT,  in  tho  Office  of  the  Clerk  of  the  District  Court  of  the 
U.  S.  for  the  Eastern  District  of  Louisiana. 


E 

X  -3  . 7 


To  the  HonoraMe  the  members  of  the  General 
Assembly  of  Louisiana, 


lAPn/Eoieieefv  T>wu>intu*)(&  Itauma  <}ehuuet)  me  op  a  ccn^t- 
EoihuiCj     tT     naoe  t>een»  compelled    to  auan^on    Bve 
catect  ivfucn/  Kao  u-een/  to  itve  kecutiatlu/  atttaction» 
to  an/  o^icej     wneie    mw  vuheb  teq/une  mu-  [itc- 
j  <J   nave    c^euote^    a    ie*v-  ftoiti6.    op  leuiaic  to  a  wotn 
iimicR-j  J   tiit^tj  unit/     at    l/ea^t  dfvew-  mu/  altacnment  to    nut 

uatuie  uin^  OP  ^LDouMyiania/*  06  ivcu/    a6  mu  c^cuottoft    to  tRc 
I  0 

(APn-ite^  c7  tate^  o^  ^bmeuca.       Unii>  IVOIR-  i^  dedicated  to 
Ine  y&eneiai    ©/b^ewt&ut    06  oiOoui^icwva.         oOe    klcade^, 
.,  Eauotauut  to  ctcceKt    it,  a^  a>  luttntie    Htcc)o6    oE 


mit 


icmawt  ivi 


te&jtecfc 


550102 


'''JUi  »rfl  '»I«1».MMH»H   f»rtl 
lo  Y,i*f«n> 


; 


• 

•  .  -  . 

•-.r|    mil    OJjl'i. 
I    I. 

•  I  o!  •'»;• 

/ 

• 

i 

'M',/V,(, 

/^     <i     r> 

•   -.j| 

^nGDljj     :>''J!IHM'    "    -'  •••      •       •    Hn,(. 


.1-i  •.. 

,!| 


•  Ill/  !/    H>|/  /  .; 


Thoughts  upon  the  results  of  the  war  which  terminated  in '1748 
(peace  of  Aix  la  Chapelle),  after  the  battle  of  Fonteltby — also,  upon  the 
war  of  1754,  closed  by  the  treaty  of  the  10th  of  February  1763,  (peace, 
of  Fontainbleau) — Influence  of  those  wars  upon  the  destinies  of  the 
British  colonies  of  North  America — Thoughts  upon  the  war  waged 
against  England  by  Franco  and  Spain,  during  the  struggle  of  the  former 
with  her  North  American  colonies,  and  which  was  terminated  by  the 
treaty  of  the  3d  September  1784  (peace  of  Paris) — Recognition  of  the 
Independence  of  the  United  States  of  America,  by  the  principal  powers 
of  Europe,  and  subsequently  by  all  other  powers — Foreign  Policy-  of  the 
United  States — Statistics  of  Spain,  her  population,  her  armies,  her  navy 
and  resources;  character  of  the  Spanish  people — Statistics  of  the  Islanu 
of  Cuba;  elements  of  her  population;  her  harbours,  army,  and  naval 
armament — Means  that  might  be  employed  to  determine  the  sale  of 
Cuba  to  the  United  Stattes  by  the  Court  of  Madrid — Thoughts  upon 
the  charges  directed  against  the  United  States,  by  the  European  powers, 
in  relation  to  their  territorial  aggrandizements — Comparative  statement 
of  these  aggrandizements  vith  those  of  Russia,  of  England,  and  of 
France  under  the  Republican  and  Imperial  governments — Thoughts 
upon  the  doctrine  of  armed  intervention  as  urged  by  turbulent  spirits  in 
the  United  States — Moral  Influences  depicted,  and  their  effects  since 
1784 — Henry  Clay  in  the  Congress  which  adopted  the  compromise 
measures  of  1851 — His  health  enfeebled,  his  last  illness,  his  words  to 
Kossuth,  his  death — The  remains  of  Henry  Clay  are  carried  to  KeV 
tucky;  his  toomb  J — Impressions  produced  on  visitsing  it. 

By  Bernard  Marigny,  born  in  New  Orleans  on  the  25th  October  1785, 
Aid-de-Camp  to  Laussat,  French  Commissioner,  when  that  officer  received 
possession  of  Louisiana  from  the  Spanish  authorities,  on  the  30th  No- 
vember 1803,  in  ordef  to  transfer  it  to  Claiborne  and  Wilkinson,  ame- 
rican  commissioners,  on  the  2  Oth  December  of  the  same  year;  volunteer 
aid  to  Genl.  Wilkinson  in  the  American  army  from  1804  to  1808; — 
Member  of  the  Convention  of  1812,  which  framed  the  1st  Constitution 
of  Louisiana; — Chairman  of  the  Committee  of  defence  appointed  by  the 
House  of  Representatives  when  a  British  army  invaded  Louisiana  in 
1814; — President  of  the  Senate  in  1822; — Member  of  the  Convention  of 
1845,  which  gave  to  Louisiana  a  new  Constitution,  establishing  the  prin- 
ciples of  universal  suffrage,  and  of  taxation  for  purposes  of  Public  Edu- 
cation, as  well  as  greater  equality  in  other  respects. 


, 


PART    FIRST. 


The  consideration  of  the  embarrassing  circumstances  that 
might,  at  some  future  day,  befal  the  United  States,  and  conse- 
quently my  own  native  State  of  Louisiana,  has  alone  induced 
me  to  publish  these  pages,  which  are  the  result  of  my  study  of 
the  causes  that  have  brought  on  the  independence  of  the  British 
Colonies  now  the  United  States  of  America,  as  well  as  of  the 
tendencies  of  the  foreign  policy  of  our  government,  since  the 
Peace  of  Paris  in  1784.  I  have  taken  as  my  point  of  departure 
the  battle  of  Fontenoy,  fought  and  won  by  the  French  against 
the  Anglo- Austrian  army  in  1745 — an  event  which  determined 
England  to  prepare  for  the  war  of  1754. 

Before  entering  into  the  merits  of  this  work,  it  must  be  re- 
membered that  the  English,  during  the  reign  of  Louis  the  15th 
lost  in  1745  the  battle  of  Fontenoy.  The  victory  of  the  French 
over  the  Anglo-Austrian  arms,  was  followed  by  the  peace  of 
Aix  la  Chapelle  in  1748,  between  Austria,  England  and 
France- 
Louis  the  15th  elated  by  his  successes,  imagined  that  he  had 
secured  a  lasting  peace.  He  allowed  the  springs  of  his  go- 
vernment to  be  loosened,  neglected  his  navy,  and  bestowed  but 
little  care  upon  his  vast  possessions  in  North  America,  known 
by  the  name  of  New-France  or  Canada.  This  Sovereign  pos- 
sessed also  in  Northern.  America  an  immense  territory  beyond 
Canada,  as  well  as  the  Isle  Royal,  at  the  entrance  of  the  gulf 
of  St.  Lawrence,  and  the  boundless  expanse  of  Louisiana. 

Whilst  the  King  of  France  was  wasting  his  life  in  luxury 
and  voluptuous  pleasures,  England,  meditating  her  vengean- 
ce, was  increasing  her  navy,  and  making  every  necessary  pre- 
paration for  a  dreadful  war,  which  she  could  not  wage  against 
France,  without  encountering  Spain  also  as  a  foe  ;  for  Charles 
the  3rd.  King  of  Spain,  detested  the  English,  and  he  imagined 


that  his  alliance  with  France  would  ruin  the  preponderance  of 
England. 

In  1754,  quite  unexpectedly  to  France,  hostilities  broke  out 
in  Canada.  A  British  force  fell  upon  Jumonville  de  Villiers, 
whom  they  massacred  together  with  a  portion  of  the  French 
(Detachment  under  his  command.  The  war  between  England 
and  France,  (called  the  seven  years  war)  continued  for  five 
years  in  Canada,  and  two  years  longer  in  other  parts  of  the 
world.  The  Canadians,  after  a  most  gallant  contest,  were 
conquered  by  the  numerical  superiority  of  their  enemies;  for 
the  English  having  made  themselves  masters  of  the  seas,  pre- 
cluded all  reinforcements  in  troops  or  arms  from  France  1o 
Canada.  The  death  of  the  marquis  de  Montcalm,  in  the  battle 
of  Abraham's  plains,  where  Wolfe,  the  British  Commander 
was  also  slain,  occasioned  the  capitulation  of  Quebec  in  1759. 
Mbntcalni  should  have  awaited  the  reinforcements  that  could 
have  been  sent  to  his  aid  by  General  Levis,  who  w.as  then  in 
Montreal  with  three  thousand  men.  But  impelled  by  a  chi- 
valrous valour,  and  remembering  that  in  the  preceding  year, 
with  3,500  men,  he  had  defeated,  at  Carillon,  a  British  force 
of  12,000  veterans,  Montcalm  sought  the  battle,  and  fell  in  the 
first  onset.  In  this  action  the  Canadians  used  the  battle  axe 
in  lieu  of  the  sword. 

General  de  Levis,  uniting  the  remains  of  Montcalm's  army 
with  his  own  forces,  determined  to  attempt  the  recapture  of 
Quebec  by  storm  ;  he  commanded  about  7,000  men; — but 
the  English,  with  a  force  of  15,000  men,  had  had  time  and 
means  to  fortify  themselves,  and  the  French  failed  in  their  at- 
tack. The  two  armies  then  resumed  their  respective  positions. 
The  English  ventured  not  to  attack  the  French —  both  await- 
ing with  anxiety  the  fleet  from  the  mother  country  Avhich  was 
to  decide  the  contest.  The  English  fleet  was  the  first  to  appear, 
and  the  French  authorities  surrendered  Canada  (1760), 

Spain  was  not  more  fortunate  than  France  ;  she  lost  in  the 
Mediterranean  the  island  of  Minorca,  and  pert  Mahon  its  cita- 
del. The  English  also  captured  Havana;  these  successes  over 
their  two  formidable  foes  enabled  them  to  dictate  the  terms  of 
the  Peace  of  Pontainebleau,  on  the  10th  of  February  1764- 


— —  9  — 

By  this  treaty  France,  ceded  to  England  1st.  Canada  and  all 
her  possessions  north  of  that  province,  as  well  as  the  Isle  Royal; 
— 3d.  beginning  at  the  river  Perdido,  four  leagues  from  Pen- 
sacola,  all  that  part  of  Louisiana,  comprehending  the  bay  of 
Mobile,  and  following  the  coast  to  the  entrance  of  Bayou  Man- 
chacin  lake  Maurepas;  thence  ascending  this  river  to  the  Mis- 
sissippi; thence  all  the  left  bank  of  the  Mississippi  to  its  sources, 
fixing  the  middle  of  the  stream  as  the  limit  between  the  two 
nations.  Spain  in  order  to  obtain  the  retroncession  of  Havana, 
ceded  to  England  the  Floridas,  from  the  Perdido  to  Georgia. 

England  had  reached  the  zenith  of  her  glory — her  ambition 
was  gratified — she  possessed  North  America.  There  remained 
to  France  only  a  portion  of  Louisiana,  which  was  now  at  the 
mercy  of  the  British  arms.  D'Abadie,  the  governor  of  that 
province  at  that  time,  caused  the  forts  of  Baton-Rouge,  of  Nat- 
chez and  of  Illinois  to  be  delivered  to  the  English,  of  whose 
arrogance  that  officer  complained  in  his  letter  to  the  Court  of 
Versailles. 

The  Choctaw  nation,  the  most  numerous  and  the  most 
powerful  of  the  Indian  tribes,  had  been  the  ally  of  the  French, 
since  the  time  when  Iberville  and  others  took  possession  of 
Louisiana  in  1699.  But  this  nation  being  settled  on  a  part  of 
the  territory  which  had  been  transferred  to  England,  it  became 
impossible  to  France  to  secure  the  permanent  possession  of 
Louisiana  ;  she  therefore  ceded  it  to  Spain  by  the  act  of  1766. 

Spain,  at  that  time  powerful  in  the  new  hemisphere  by  her 
vast  possessions  in  South  America,  had  a  considerable  milita- 
ry establishment  in  Mexico,  and  a  strong  garison  in  the  Island 
of  Cuba.  The  Cabinet  of  Madrid  accepted  with  some  hesita- 
tion these  vast  possessions,  whose  maintenance  increased  by 
at  least  a  half  million  of  dollars  the  expenditures  of  the  Spanish 
monarchy.  But  it  accepted  them  only  from  the  fear  that  they 
might  fall  into  the'hands  of  England,  and  that  the  English 
would  thence  introduce  their  merchandize  into  the  rich  Spanish 
possessions  of  Mexico  by  the  practises  of  smuggling,  which 
offer  such  temptations  to  Mexicans. — This  assuredly  would 
have  caused  considerable  injury  to  the  manufactories  of  Spain. 

The  left  bank  of  the  Mississippi  therefore,  from  its  head  wa- 

2 


—  10  — 

ters  to  the  river  Manchac,  remained  to  England,  with  its  na- 
vigation in  common  with  Spain.  The  government  of  Madrid 
had  then  to  support  the  expenditures  of  Louisiana — whilst 
England,  under  the  pretense  of  purchasing  the  products  of 
Spanish  subjects,  carried  on  with  them  a  lucrative  trade  in  con- 
traband commodities;  for  she  could  supply  them  with  her  mer- 
chandize at  a  much  cheaper  rate,  than  that  which  was  de- 
manded for  articles  manufactured  in  Spain,  and  imported  by 
Spaniards. 

The  successes  of  England  over  France  and  Spain  had  in- 
creased her  power;  but  to  meet  the  exigencies  of  a  seven 
years  war,  the  British  government  had  exhausted  its  finances. 
After  some  years  of  repose,  as  a  means  of  increasing  its  reve- 
nues, it  undertook  to  establish  a  system  of  taxation  upon  its 
North  American  colonies.  It  imagined  that  the  terror  of  its 
late  victories  would  command  obedience  to  its  exactions  among 
the  american  colonists,  and  a  heavy  duty  was  ordered  to  be 
levied  upon  tea  and  stamped  paper. 

The  British  government  had  formed  a  mistaken  opinion 
of  the  people  of  these  colonies — they  were  composed  of  the 
choicest  elements.  The  persecution  of  protestantism  in  Eng- 
land had  induced  men  of  education  to  emigrate  with  their 
capital  and  energies  to  New  England  ;  the  catholics  op- 
pressed in  their  turn,  also  sought  refuge  in  these  regions;  and 
the  revocation  of  the  edict  of  Nantes,  decreed  by  Louis  the 
14th  in  1685,  had  occasioned  the  settlement  of  many  lutherans 
and  calvinists  in  the  British  colonies. 

Amid  this  population,  schools  and  colleges  had  been  estab- 
lished. It  was  in  their  aspirations  for  liberty,  that  these  com- 
munities were  destined  to  produce,  not  only  soldiers,  but  the 
most  distinguished  chieftains,  statesmen,  and  orators.  The 
Americans  first  addressed  their  remonstrances  to  the  mother- 
country,  in  regard  to  the  course  it  was  pursuing  towards  the 
colonies  ;  but  their  complaints  however  reasonable  were  dis- 
regarded. The  British  government  ordered  its  troops  to 
America,  and  raised  further  recruits  among  the  Hessians 
and  in  other  german  States.  The  news  of  these  menacing 
preparations  having  reached  New  England,  discontent  arose 


— 11  — 

into  general  indignation,  and  bloodshed  soon  followed.  Then 
arose  a  citizen,  who  afterwards  rendered  himself  immortal 
in  the  eyes  of  his  countrymen  and  of  all  men  who  value  li- 
berty— Thomas  Jefferson  presented  to  the  congress  assem- 
bled in  Philadelphia  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  which 
was  adopted  on  the  4th  of  July  1776 !— masterpiece  of  mo- 
rality and  eloquence !  destined  to  equal  among  the  people  of 
America,  the  effects  of  the  Gospel  among  Christians.  The 
Americans  felt  themselves  invincible ;  and  George  Washing- 
ton, a  native  of  Virginia,  whose  name  is  immortal,  was  pro- 
claimed commander  in  chief  of  the  American  armies.  Having 
been  an  officer  in  the  service  of  England  in  America,  he  was 
destined  to  conquer  those  who  had  taught  him  the  art  of 
war. 

When  the  declaration  of  independance  became  known  in 
France,  the  nobility  and  gentry  declared  themselves  in  favor 
of  war  against  England.  Lafayette,  a  young  nobleman,  em- 
barked for  America.  He  became  there  the  apostle  of  liberty, 
and  his  letters  increased  the  enthousiasrn  of  the  French.  Un- 
der these  circumstances,  Franklin  was  deputed  to  Paris, 
where  his  talents  and  his  simple  and  engaging  manners  made 
him  welcome  and  agreeable  in  all  classes  of  society.  Se- 
duced by  Franklin,  Mr.  de  Vergennes,  then  prime  minister 
of  Louis  the  16th,  persuaded  that  monarch  to  join  in  the  war 
against  England.  The  king  of  France  himself  was  however 
disinclined  to  it :  he  said  that  it  was  immoral  to  sustain  sub- 
jects who  had  revolted  against  their  mother-country. 

In  Spain,  the  ministry  was  inclined  to  disapprove  the  war  ; 
but  Charles  the  3d  pronounced  himself  in  its  favor.  Thia 
monarch,  who  had  commenced  his  career  in  the  Neapolitan 
armies  joined  with  those  of  Spain,  to  rescue  a  portion  of  Italy 
from  the  Austrians,  was  still  influenced  by  a  great  hatred  to 
the  English.  The  count  of  Aranda,  a  head  strong  Arragone.se, 
eloquent  and  sometimes  arrogant,  protested  against  the  war 
proposed  to  be  waged  against  England.  He  maintained  that 
the  establishment  of  a  Republic  in  North  America  was  dal- 
culated  to  attract  hither,  all  the  discontented  spirits  in  the  mo- 
narchies of  old  Europe.  That  a  great  nation  would  arise 


—  12  — 

there,  whose  moral  influence  would  become  dangerous  to  the 
Spanish  possessions  in  America.  Charles  the  3d  whose  power 
was  great  in  Europe  as  well  as  in  America,  laughed  at 
what  he  termed  the  "panic  terror"  of  the  count  d'Aranda.  The 
count  of  Florida  Blanca  joined  in  the  opinion  of  the  king  of 
Spain  ;  and  so  far  from  persuading  France  into  neutrality, 
the  cabinet  of  Madrid  intimated  to  that  of  Versailles,  that 
Spain  was  disposed  to  unite  her  arms  with  those  of  France, 
to  secure  the  independence  of  the  United  States  of  America. 
War  was  therefore  commenced.  Spain  captured  the  island 
of  Minorca,  and  the  citadel  of  Mahon.  Galvez  marched  to 
Manchac  and  Baton  Rouge  in  west  Florida,  and  took  pos- 
session of  those  territories.  The  British  commander  surren- 
dered to  the  Spaniards  the  fort  of  Natchez,  whose  command 
was  then  given  to  Don  Carlos  de  Grandpre,  one  of  the  most 
distinguished  men  I  .have  met  with.  Galvez  then  directed 
his  march  to  Mobile,  took  possession  of  the  old  fort  Conde*, 
and  from  success  to  success,  he  appeared  before  the  fort  of 
St.  Michel,  at  Pensacola,  which  he  took  by  storm. 

Less  fortunate  in  this  war  than  Spain,  who  had  thus  re- 
covered all  that  she  had  lost  by  the  treaty  of  Fontainebleau 
in  1764,  France  made  no  attempt  to  recover  Canada,  which 
had  been  taken  from  her  by  the  above  named  treaty.  The 
count  de  Gras  encountered  at  Cape  St.  Vincent  the  British 
fleet  under  the  command  of  Admiral  Rodney.  An  obstinate 
fight  then  occured,  and  the  French  fleet  was  defeated.  The 
count  de  Gras  who  commanded  the  ship,  "Ville  de  Paris," 
bearing  130  guns  with  1,500  men,  struck  his  flag  at  the  last 
extremity,  when  there  remained  to  him  about  JOO  men  only 
and  wounded  for  the  greater  part.  The  English  did  justice  to 
this  gallant  officer — his  carriage  was  drawn  by  the  people  in 
the  streets  of  London. 

Amid  these  circumstances,  a  French  fleet  appeared  on  the 
American  coast,  which  succeeded  in  landing  General  Rocham- 
beau  with  about  8,000  men,  and  blockaded  the  Chesapeake 
bay.  General  Cornwallis  thought  prudent  to  retire  under  the 
fortifications  which  he  had  raised  at  Yorktown,  but  being  at- 


—  13  — 

tacked  by  the  united  French  and  American  armies,  he  sur- 
rendered with  about  7,000  men,  after  a  siege  of  eight  days. 

This  affair  put  an  end  to  the  war  of  American  Indepen- 
dence ;  plenipotentiaries  met  in  Paris  in  1784.  Spain,  repre- 
sented by  the  count  d'Aranda,  retained  Minorca,  the  Balea- 
res  and  other  islands,  and  England  conceded  to  her,  besides, 
East  and  West  Florida  to  the  limits  of  Georgia.  On  the  eve 
of  signing  the  treaty,  d'Aranda  addressed  the  following  letter 
to  Charles  the  3rd  : 

"Sire,  your  Majesty  doubtless  remembers,  that  I  was  opposed 
to  the  war  undertaken  by  Spain  and  France  against  England, 
to  determine  the  question  of  the  Independence  of  the  British  co- 
lonies, and  to  establish  upon  these  territories  a  nation  to  be 
designated  as  the  United  States  of  America.  I  do  not  wish  to 
be  a  prophet ;  but  I  much  fear  that  before  a  half  century  will 
have  elapsed,  there  will  remain  to  your  Majesty,  of  all  your 
vast  possessions  in  America,  only  the  islands  of  Cuba  and 
Porto-Rico." 

Forty  years  had  scarcely  elapsed,  when  the  prophecy  of 
count  d'Aranda  was  accomplished.  The  letter  of  count  d'A- 
randa is  in  Madrid ;  I  have  read  a  copy  of  it,  in  the  hands  of 
the  marquis  de  Tallaru,  French  ambassador  to  Spain  under 
Louis  the  18th. 

The  Independence  of  the  United  States  had  been  recog- 
nized; but  much  remained  to  be  done — the  wounds  occasioned 
by  the  war  were  to  he  healed  ;  agriculture  was  to  be  restored 
to  the  hands  of  men,  who,  after  having  been  soldiers  for 
nearly  ten  years,  had  contracted  other  habits  of  life — a  debt 
was  to  be  met,  which,  compared  with  its  pecuniary  resour- 
ces, weighed  heavily  upon  the  nation.  To  accomplish  this  last 
difficult  task,  loans  were  to  be  negociated,  and  high  interests 
to  be  paid — commercial  relations  abroad  were  also  to  be  es- 
tablished, and  treaties  to  be  made  ; — but  the  united  abilities 
of  a  Washington,  a  Hamilton,  a  Jefferson,  a  Franklin,  an 
Adams,  and  other  great  citizens,  were  equal  to  all  these  exi- 
gencies. 

It  may  be  supposed  that  these  statesmen,  being  aware  that 
the  United  States  had  succeeded  to  the  rights  of  England  in 


•    —  14  — 

all  her  North  American  possessions  from  Canada  to  the  Ohio 
and  Mississippi,  should  have  demanded  the  settlement  of  their 
limits  towards  the  Mississippi.  But  the  time  was  not  oppor- 
tune. It  would  have  been  impolitic  to  give  umbrage  to  Spain 
— a  nation,  at  that  period,  powerful,  governed  by  Charles  the 
3d  an  able  king,  possessing  a  hundred  ships  of  war  or  frigates, 
one  of  the  finest  armies  in  the  world,  and  nearly  the  whole  of 
South  America.  The  question  of  the  South  Western  limits  was 
therefore  left  in  abeyance. 

The  Republic  of  the  United  States  was  naturally  destined 
to  invite  European  emigration  towards  its  favoured  regions  ; 
and  this  emigration  became  considerable.  The  better  por- 
tion of  the  land  in  the  Atlantic  States,  much  of  .which,  was  of 
arid  and  inferior  quality,  had  already  been  granted  to  indi- 
viduals. The  Americans  therefore  and  the  new  comers  espe- 
cially, turned  their  views,  to  the  crossing  of  the  Alleghany 
mountains,  to  take  possession  of  the  lands  yet  occupied  by 
the  Indians,  between  the  Ohio  and  the  Alleghanies  ;  but  a  ter- 
rible war  was  there  to  be  encountered  against  numerous 
savage  tribes,  already  aware  of  the  ambitious  objects  of  the 
whites,  who  had  driven  them  from  the  Atlantic  coast.  Some 
Yankees  better  advised,  emigrated  to  the  Cumberland  River, 
in  the  country  of  the  Chickasaws.  This  tribe  had  always  been 
friendly  to  the  English,  and  many  of  them  spoke  the  English 
language.  The  Yankees  were  received  without  difficulty  ;  they 
established  there  a  farm,  made  a  few  barrels  of  flour,  butter, 
hams,  potatoes — and  in  1785,  at  hap-hazard,  they  embarked 
their  products  upon  a  small  flat-boat,  floated  down  the  Cum- 
berland, and  descended  the  Mississippi. 

The  inhabitants  of  the  lower  valley  were  quite  amazed  at 
beholding  such  a  craft,  governed  by  a  huge  oar,  in  the  hands 
of  two  men.  The  Yankees  at  last  reached  New  Orleans. 
The  officers  of  the  Custom  House,  after  having  affixed  the 
seals,  as  usual,  to  the  doors  of  the  flat-boat,  conducted  its  own- 
ers to  the  Intendance  office,  there  to  receive  their  permit  to 
discharge  the  cargo  ;— but  the  Intendant  refused  the  permit. 
The  population  exhibited  agitation  and  discontent  at  the  re- 
fusal ; — the  Intendant  alleged  that  it  was  not  advisable  in  the 


—  15  — 

interest  of  the  Spanish  monarchy,  to  encourage  establish- 
ments in  the  upper  country,  calculated  to  attract  there  a  nu- 
merous population,  who  might  at  some  future  day  invade  low- 
er Louisiana,  and  snatch  it  from  the  Spaniards.  Don  Este- 
van  Miro,  then  governor  of  that  province,  assuming  the  res- 
ponsibility upon  himself,  acceded  to  the  wishes  of  the  Loui- 
sianians,  and  allowed  the  owners  of  the  flat-boat  to  land  their 
cargo.  The  inhabitants  greeted  with  joy,  this  determination 
of  the  governor,  for  they  rightly  thought  that  these  products  ar- 
riving in  large  quantities,  their  prices  would  be  reduced,  es- 
pecially that  of  flour,  lard,  hams  and  pore.  So  soon  as  it  was 
known  in  the  Atlantic  States,  that  the  western  products  were 
admitted  in  New  Orleans,  the  emigration  to  the  West  became 
considerable  ;  for  the  Indians  had  been  for  the  greater  part  ex- 
pelled from  Kentucky. 

In  1792,  this  territory,  numbering  already  more  than  fifty 
thousand  souls,  was  erected  into  a  State,  whose  laws  super- 
ceded  the  Lynch-law.  During  the  same  year,  Francis  Louis 
Hector,  Baron  de  Carondelet,  was  appointed  governor  and  in- 
tendant  of  Louisiana.  This  man  of  high  ability,  after  cast- 
ing his  eyes  upon  the  map  of  the  Louisianas,  and  inquiring 
into  the  progress  of  population  in  the  western  country,  easily 
perceived  that  the  Spanish  possessions  of  Louisiana  were  ex- 
posed to  be  invaded  at  some  future  day  by  the  enterprising 
people  of  that  region.  But  it  was  too  late  to  think  of  depri- 
ving a  population  which  had  already  attained  a  hundred 
thousand  souls,  of  the  advantages  of  reaching  a  market  for 
their  products  through  the  Mississippi,  which  was  their  only 
outlet ;  for  the  Alleghanies  could  not  be  crossed  in  waggons 
to  carry  these  products  to  the  ports  of  the  United  States,  Ca- 
rondelet conceived  that  the  only  possible  remedy,  was  the  se- 
paration of  the  western  territories  from  the  Union,  To  at- 
tain this  end,  great  inducements  were  to  be  offered  to  the  in- 
-  habitants  of  that  region.  He  communicated  his  schemes  to 
two  men  of  intelligence  and  influence  in  Kentucky,  Generals 
James  Wilkinson  and  Adair.  These  gentlemen,  for  the  ad- 
vantage of  their  countrymen,  appeared  to  lend  him  a  willing 
year,  but  were  well  determined  to  do  nothing ;  besides,  it 


—  16  — 

\v,i3  not  In  their  power  to  Induce  tho  Americans  to  renounce 
their  nationality,  nor  to  determine  them  to  a  separation  from 
a  great  Republic,  in  order  to  establish  an  inferior  one,  under 
the  protectorate  of  Spain.  The  Baron  de  Carondelet  was 
destined  to  be  disappointed  in  his  hopes ;  but  it  is  difficult 
for  the  most  astute  European  to  conceive  the  patriotism  of  the 
Anglo-Saxon  race. 

So  soon  as  Wilkinson  and  Adair  returned  to  Kentucky, 
the  news  was  circulated  that  the  introduction  of  goods  would 
be  freely  permitted  in  New  Orleans,  and  that  religious  tole- 
rance would  be  exercised.  Emigration  to  the  West  then  be- 
came immense;  merchants  from  Philadelphia  came  to  settle 
in  New  Orleans — an  American  consul  was  even  received 
there  :  which  was  not  allowed  at  that  period  in  the  other  Span- 
ish possessions.  This  consul  was  Mr.  Hewling,  who  did  not 
leave  Louisiana  'til  1805. 

In  1776,  Tennessee  was  erected  into  a  State.  The  ques- 
tion was  settled  :  Spanish  Louisiana  was  in  fact  but  an 
American  province.  The  Spaniards  bore  all  the  burthens, 
all  the  expenses  of  government ;  the  Americans  carried  on  all 
the  trade.  Out  of  two  hundred  vessels  in  the  harbour  of  New 
Orleans,  nine  tenths  were  American  ;  and  under  the  plea  of 
coming  to  purchase  American  products,  their  vessels  intro- 
duced merchandize. 

Another  circumstance  occurred,  to  favor  the  citizens  of  the 
United  States.  Don  Manuel  Gayozo  de  Lemos  was  at  that 
time  governor  at  Natchez.  Of  high  stature,  and  stoutly  built 
this  man  spoke  English,  and  was  quite  American  in  his  man- 
ners. He  was  fond  of  horses,  of  good  cheer  and  madeira. 
Carondelet  having  made  known  his  intentions  to  Gayozo, 
his  lieutenant,  made  considerable  concessions  of  land  to  Ame- 
ricans in  the  Mississippi  territory.  Stephen  Minor  received 
there,  from  the  Court  of  Spain,  the  appointment  of  major- 
commandant  of  the  militia.  The  Anglo-Saxons  planted  cot- 
ton in  Natchez,  which  was  sold  at  that  period  at  fifty  cents 
per  pound;  for  that  was  the  only  point  on  the  Mississippi 
where  it  was  gathered  in  any  considerable  quantity.  In 
Pointe-Coupee  and  other  places,  cotton  was  but  little  cultiva- 


—  17  — 

ted,  even  in  1794.  The  male  slaves  imported  from  Africft 
could  be  bought  at  that  time  for  $250,  and  the  females  for 
$180  j  so  that  it  was  easy  to  make  a  large  fortune  in  a  short 
time.  Major  Minor,  through  his  fortune  and  his  rank  in  the 
Spanish  army,  acquired  great  influence  among  the  American 
settlers.  I  was  well  acquainted  with  him.  He  married  his 
daughter  to  one  of  my  intimate  friends,  William  Kenner,  whose 
son,  Duncan  F.  Kenner,  was  president  of  the  Convention  in 
1852,  which  framed  a  new  Constitution  for  the  State  of  Loui- 
siana. 

The  time  had  come  for  the  United  States  to  turn  their  at- 
tention to  the  settlement  of  their  boundaries  on  the  Mississip- 
pi. The  main  object  had  been  accomplished :  the  inhabitants 
of  the  western  country,  formed  a  population  sufficiently  strong 
to  secure  for  themselves  the  navigation  of  the  Mississippi,  and 
an  emporium  for  their  merchandize  in  New  Orleans — in  de- 
fault of  which,  they  could  have  seized  upon  lower  Louisiana, 
which  had  a  population  of  only  forty  thousand  souls,  and  two 
thousand,  regular  soldiers,  scattered  aver  the  whole  lerri- 
ritory. 

mif  e        •  f        t.       A  •  i       i  •      r          i    r 

A  fortunate  circumstance  ior  the  Americans,  had  induced  the 
Spanish,  government  to  seek  to  conciliate  them.  In  1794, 
whilst  Spain  was  involved  in  a  war  with  France,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  execution  of  Louis  the  16th  upon  the  revolu- 
tionary scaffold,  on  the  21st  January  1793,  the  Committe  of 
Public  Safety,  influenced  by  Robespierre,  had  commissioned 
as  charge  d'affaires  to  Washington,  a  young  revolutionist  by 
the  name  of  Genet,  whose  brother  had  voted  the  death  of 
Louis  the  16th.  This  young  man,  who  was  ardent  and  talent- 
ed, had  imagined  that  he  might  induce  Washington  to  de- 
clare war  against  England,  through  a  sentiment  of  gratitude 
for  the  aid  which  the  British  colonies  had  received  from 
France,  whilst  they  were  engaged  in  their  struggle  for  i'nde- 
pendence.  Genet  did  not  belong  to  Young  America,  but  his 
allegiance  was  to  Young-  France.  Washington,  Adams,  Ha- 
milton and  the  other  great  men  who  where  their  at  the  helm 
of  the  United  States,  were  prudent,  wise,  and  already  of  ma- 
'ture  age — they  were  such  men  us  would  bi-  now  cnllrd  old 

o 


—  18  — 

The  propositions  of  Genet  were  declined.  He  was 
made  to  understand  that  the  United  States  contracted  no  of- 
fensive or  defensive  alliances  with  foreign  governments.  That 
their  policy  was  neutrality  in  the  wars  of  other  nations  whom 
they  respected,  and  from  whom  they  knew  how  to  secure  the 
respect  due  to  themselves  ;  that  they  warred  only  for  the  rights 
of  their  commerce  and  agriculture,  unless  in  cases  of  insult, 
or  aggression  against  their  nationality  or  honor.  Genet  un- 
derstood with  difficulty  these  principles  of  wisdom  and  mo- 
rality, which  are  the  true  causes  of  our  increase,  of  our  wealth, 
and  of  the  respect  which  all  nations  have  observed  towards 
our  government,  always  faithful,  in  the  accomplishment  of  its 
treaties,  as  it  has  been  regardful  of  the  rights  of  other  na- 
tions. 

Genet  perceiving  that  he  could  not  influence  the  cabinet  of 
Washington,  conceived  the  project  of  fomenting  insurrection 
in  Spanish  Louisiana.  He  became  acquainted  with  a  Creole, 
Augustp  de  la  Chaise,  who  had  been  a  colonel  in  the  Repub- 
lican armies.  This  Creole  who  belonged  to  one  of  the  most 
influential  families  of  Louisiana,  was  reputed  for  his  courage 
and  fine  personal  appearance.  They  both  repaired  to  Charles- 
ton, where  they  met  with  many  French  privateers,  who  had 
brought  hither  the  prizes  captured  from  the  English,  then  at 
war  with  France.  Bold  and  enterprizing,  these  two  men 
soon  obtained  adherents  among  the  Americans  of  the  Caro- 
linas.  They  also  despatched  emissaries  to  the  West.  Advised 
betimes  of  these  machinations,  the  Baron  de  Carondelet  pro- 
claimed that  all  men  were  called  upon  to  take  up  arms  in  Loui- 
siana. He  caused  the  militia  to  be  organized  by  Philippe 
de  Marigny  de  Mandeville ;  Joseph  de  Pontalba  was  ordered 
to  call  out  those  of  Lafourche,  Iberville  and  des  Allemands. 
But  Washington,  true  to  the  noble  maxims  he  had  pro- 
claimed, caused  Genet  and  de  la  Chaise  to  be  informed,  that 
if  they  did  not  immediately  disarm,  the  American  navy  would 
blockade  Charleston,  and  the  troops  would  be  ordered  to  dis- 
perse their  armaments  Genet  submitted,  and  left  the  United 
States.  The  honest  course  of  the  American  government  was 
duly  appreciated  by  that  of  Louisiana  and  of  Spain,  and  was 


—  19  — 

calculated  to  strengthen  the  bonds  of  amity  between  th«  two 
nations. 

Had  Washington  been  a  man  capable  of  approving  or 
adopting  unfair  means  of  attaining  an  end,  he  would  have 
allowed  Genet  and  de  la  Chaise  to  pursue  their  course,  for 
these  men  had  not  the  pecuniary  resources,  necessary  to  the 
maintenance  of  a  Republic  in  Louisiana — a  province  which 
had  no  revenues,  and  could  not  create  any  ;  for  its  lands  were 
almost  without  value,  the  culture  of  the  sugar  cane  was 
yet  unknown  there,  and  but  little  cotton  was  raised.  Hence- 
forward, the  annexation  of  Louisiana  to  the  United  States  be- 
came certain  ;  but  such  calculations  could  not  enter  into  the 
mind  of  the  greatest  citizen  of  modern  times.  The  immortal 
Washington  must  be  regarded  as  a  new  Messiah,  preaching 
the  rights  of  man,  morality  and  honesty. 

Washington  retired  from  the  presidency  of  the  United  States 
in  1796  :  he  might  have  been  elected  a  third  time,  but  he  de- 
sired to  establish  the  principle,  that  no  citizen  should  occupy 
the  presidential  chair  for  more  than  eight  years.  His  exam- 
ple has  always  been  respected  by  his  successors  in  office. 

John  Adams  was  then  elected  president  of  the  United  States. 
It  devolved  upon  him  to  discuss  the  question  of  boundaries 
towards  the  Mississippi,  The  Americans  could  claim  with 
justice,  all  that  had  been  ceded  by  France  to  England  in  1764, 
to  wit :  the  left  bank  of  the  Mississippi  to  its  head  waters, 
from  the  river  Manchac— » Avith  the  exception  however  of  what 
had  been  conquered  by  Galvez,  that  is  to  say  Baton  Rouge, 
as  far  as  the  line  of  the  31st  degree  of  latitude,  a  few  leagues 
from  Bayou  Sarah — for  this  line  had  been  determined  by 
Thomas  Pinkney,  United  States  envoy,  and  by  the  Prince  of 
Peace  representing  Spain,  in  the  treaty  of  1796.  The  Baron 
de  Carondelet,  Avho  had  still  indulged  in  the  hopes  of  a  separa- 
tion of  the  Western  Stales  from  the  Union, — who  had  corres- 
ponded with  the  cabinet  of  Madrid  in  regard  to  this  great  pro- 
ject, was  much  surprized  and  disappointed  at  the  claim  of  the 
American  government.  He  immediately  despatched  an  Irish 
officer  in  the  service  of  Spain,  by  the  name  of  Thomas  Power, 
to  General?  Wilkinson  and  Adair,  in  the  hope  that  they  might 


—  20  — 

realize  their  former  promises  to  him.  But  these  two  skilful 
men  had  attained  the  only  ends  they  had  in  view  :  the  wes- 
tern country  already  contained  a  numerous  population.  They 
made  known  to  Baron  de  Carondclet  that  nothing  of  what  he 
had  proposed  could  be  undertaken ;  that  it.  was  impossible. 
General  Wilkinson  after  having  caused  Tomas  Power  to  be 
arrested,  also  informed  Carondelet,  that  he  was  prepared  to 
march  to  Lower  Louisiana  with  ten  thousand  men,  and  to  cap- 
ture it.  The  Baron  clearly  saw  that  he  had  been  out-witted, 
and  that  he  had  mistaken  the  character  of  the  Anglo-Saxon 
race.  He  asked  to  be  recalled  from  his  government  in  Loui- 
siana. The  court  of  Madrid  was  astonished  at  this  result, 
The  Spanish  government  did  not  prove  itself  grateful  for  the  ser- 
vices which  that  governor  had  rendered  to  Louisiana,  by  his 
wise  and  wholesome  administration.  From  the  grade  of 
camp. marshal  in  the  armies  of  the  king,  Baron  Carondelet 
was. appointed  president  of  the  audience  of  Quito.  This  po- 
sition was  beneath  his  talents  and  the  rewards  that  he  de- 
served. 

There  was  no  longer  any  cause  for  hesitation  ;  the  bounda- 
ry lines  had  to  be  drawn  between  the  United  States  and  the 
Spanish  possessions.  Colonel  Elliot  appeared  with  a  re- 
spectable force  before  the  fort  of  Natchez  ;  the  Americans 
settled  in  that  district,  declared  to  Don  Manuel  Gayozo  de 
Lemos,  that  resistance  was  vain.  Besides,  1  he  treaty  of  1764 
between  England  and  France  justified  the  claim  of  the  United 
States  to  the  territories  which  had  been  ceded  to  the  first 
named  power;  the  United  States  had  succeeded  to  the  rights 
of  England.  The  boundary  line  was  therefore  fixed.  It  start- 
ed from  the  Mississippi,  on  the  31st  degree  of  north  latitude 
near  Bayou  Sarah,  and  following  that  line  within  about  fifteen 
leagues  from  Mobile,  it  reached  fort  Tombigbee,  since  called 
fort  Strander,  and  thence  passed  at  a  distance  of  about  four- 
teen leagues  from  Pcnsacola. 

There  remained  to  Spain,  in  that  direction,  but  the  arid 
shores  of  Florida,  where  the  many  good  harbours  to  be  found, 
were  destined  soon  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  American 
Union,  without  any  deviation  however  on  the  part  of  the 


—  21  — • 

government  of  Washington,  from  its  principles  of  moderation 
and  justice. 

Don  Manuel  Gayozo  de  Lemog  was  appointed  governor 
of  Louisiana  in  the  beginning  of  1798.  At  the  same  period, 
Don  Carlos  de  Grandpre  was  also  commissioned  as  governor 
of  Baton  Rouge  and  its  dependencies  as  far  as  Pearl  river. 
The  court  of  Spain  having  become  convinced  that  Louisiana 
could  not  be  preserved  to  Spain  in  the  condition  of  a  colony, 
resolved  to  transform  it  into  an  independent  kingdom,  as  is 
reported  by  the  Prince  of  Peace  in  his  memoirs.  Troops  were 
to  be  sent  there  ;  the  military  establishment  in  Mexico  offered, 
in  case  of  need,  facilities  for  reinforcements;  and  an  infante, 
son  of  Charles  the  4th,  was  to  be  crowned,  under  the  title  of 
"King  of  Louisiana."  But  as  Spain  happened  to  be  at  the 
time  at  war  with  England,  the  cabinet  of  Madrid  were  de- 
terred by  the  danger  of  exposing  an  infanle  to  be  captured. 
Other  means  were  subsequently  devised  to  establish  a  barrier 
between  the  United  States  and  the  rich  possessions  of  the 
Spanish  crown  in  the  New  and  Old  Mexico — these  were  to 
transfer  those  vast  regions  to  the  French,  who  had  long  envied 
them ;  for  at  the  time  of  the  treaty  of  Baden  in  1795,  the  Exe- 
cutive Directory  of  France  had  despached  hither  Barthelemy, 
to  negociate  peace  with  Spain. 

The  French  government  of  that  time,  as  well  as  those  that 
had  preceded  it,  were  aware  that  Spain  was  their  natural  ally, 
and  that  by  her  harbours,  her  navy,  and  a  renewal  of  the 
maratime  treaty  of  alliance  of  1761,  she  could,  if  combined 
with  France,  check  the  preponderance  of  the  British  navy. 
Barthelemy,  who  was  a  statesman  and  an  honest  man,  exacted 
nothing  from  Spain,  and  in  Europe,  the  fraction  of  territory 
which  had  been  conquered  in  the  peninsula  by  the  French 
armies,  was  relinquished.  Nor  did  France  demand  any  pe- 
cuniary indemnity,  but  she  proposed  the  retrocession  to  her 
of  Louisiana,  which  had  been  ceded  to  Spain  in  1766. 

The  cabinet  of  Madrid  declined  acceding  to  the  proposi- 
tions of  the  French  government,  (see  Memoirs  of  the  Prince  of 
Peace)  but  the  progress  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  race  in  the  West 
of  the  United  States  was  not  yet  fully  foreseen.  Spain  offered 


—  22  — 

as  indemnity  for  the  vrar,  the  Spanish  portion  of  St.  Domingo, 
which  had  already  lost  its  value,  for  the  French  portion  of  that 
inland  \vas  in  open  insurrection  ;  and  many  of  the  whites  had 
been  massacred  by  the  blacks.  A  priest,  the  abbe  Gre"goire, 
had  exclaimed  in  the  national  assembly :  "Let  the  colonies 
perish,  rather  than  a  principle."  Paul  Verrel  and  Santonax 
were  then  sent  to  St.  Domingo,  where  they  proclaimed  the 
freedom  of  the  blacks.  Nine  hundred  sugar  plantations  were 
set  on  fire  in  the  plains  of  the  Cape,  and  in  the  midst  of  these 
conflagrations,  arose,  amongst  others,  Toussaint  Louverture, 
proclaiming  himself  as  the  messenger  of  Christ,  destined  to 
avenge  his  countrymen.  This  negro  performed  in  that  island 
a  part  truly  extraordinary  both  as  a  general  and  administra- 
tor, until  1802,  when  General  Leclerc  arrived  there,  with  or- 
ders to  re-establish  slavery.  Toussaint  would  not  obey,  and 
hence,  followed  war  and  murders. 

The  evacuation  of  the  island  by  the  French  army,  took 
place  in  1804;  out  of  forty  thousand  men,  six  thousand  only 
returned  to  France.  To  the  ravages  of  Avar  however,  must 
be  added  the  still  greater  destruction  occasioned  by  yellow  fe- 
ver in  this  army.  The  Spanish  portion  of  St.  Domingo,  which 
had  been  ceded  to  France  by  the  treaty  of  Baden,  was  there- 
fore of  no  value,  as  time  has  sufficiently  shown.  But  the  Di- 
rectory of  France  accepted  it,  in  the  hopes  of  obtaining  the 
maritime  alliance  oi  Spain,  which  was  accordingly  effected 
in  1796. 

The  cabinet  of  Madrid,  clearly  perceiving  the  difficulties 
resulting  from  a  state  of  war  in  the  establishment  of  a  mon- 
archy in  Louisiana,  turned  its  policy  towards  the  transfer  of 
these  vast  regions  to  France  at  a  proper  time,  with  the  expec- 
tation that  they  would  be  held  by  that  power,  and  would  thus 
form  an  insurmountable  barrier  between  the  Anglo-Saxons  of 
America  and  the  Spanish  possessions  of  Mexico.  In  1800, 
this  opportunity  presented  itself.  France  asked  of  Spain  the 
cession"of  Louisiana,  and  proposed  to  her,  in  exchange,  Tus- 
cany, which  was  to  have  been  united  to  the  duchy  of  Parma. 
The  duke  of  Parma  himself  was  to  have  married  an  infante 
daughter  of  Charles  the  4th,  and  the  kingdom  of  Etruria 


—  23  — 

to  have  been  re-established  in  his  favor.  The  cabinet  of  Ma- 
drid fearing  that  England  might  send  an  expedition  against 
Louisiana,  required  that  this  arrangement  should  be  kept  se- 
cret. The  Spanish  cabinet,  jealous  and  fearful  of  the  encroach- 
ments of  the  Americans,  required  further,  that  it  should  be 
stipulated  by  secret  articles,  that  France  should  never  transfer 
Louisiana  to  any  other  power,  and  that  in  case  at  any  future 
time,  she  did  not  desire  to  hold  it,  it  was  to  be  retroceded  to 
Spain.  Napoleon  consented  ;  the  details  of  this  treaty  are 
set  forth  in  the  Memoirs  of  the  Prince  of  Peace,  as  well  as  in 
the  book  of  Barbe  Marbois  upon  Louisiana,  and  its  cession 
to  the  United  States  in  1803, 

In  1802,  at  the  time  of  the  peace  of  Amiens,  Napoleon,  de- 
sirous of  being  well  informed  as  to  the  value  of  Louisiana  to 
France,  appointed  a  eommission  to  repair  hither,  and  to  ex- 
plore and  examine  it.  They  reported  that  a  colonial  system 
could  not  be  established  there — that  the  Western  Americans 
having  the  enjoyment  of  the  navigation  of  the  Mississippi,  it 
was  impossible  to  deny  them  a  place  of  deposit,  either  at 
New  Orleans,  or  at  some  point  nearer  to  the  gulf  of  Mexico, 
and  that  this  population  progressing  with  giant  strides,  would 
before  many  years  take  possession  of  the  whole  of  Louisiana* 
where  France  would  have  wasted  her  expenditures  in  estab- 
lishments and  fortifications.  Napoleon  being  aware  that  a 
Louisianian  of  high  intelligence,  Joseph  Delfau  de  Pontalba, 
was  at  the  time  residing  in  Paris,  thought  proper  also  to  con- 
sult him,  as  to  the  advantages  and  resources  that  Louisiana 
might  offer  to  France.  Pontalba,  who  had  been  a  lieutenant- 
colonel  in  the  service  of  Spain  in  Louisiana,  was  well  inform- 
ed as  to  the  progress  of  the  Western  States ;  he  fully  demonstra- 
ted in  a  precise  and  detailed  memoir  which  I  have  seen,  that 
the  report  in  regard  to-  this  colony,  made  by  the  commissioners 
who. had  been  sent  there  by  Napoleon,  was  wise  and  conclu- 
sive beyond  a  doubt.  The  result  of  these  inquiries  had  dis- 
posed the  mind  of  the  Istr  Consul  towards  the  sale  of  Louisia- 
na to  the  United  Stales,  and  there  only  remained  to  be  brought 
about  the  propositions  to  that  effect.  Already,  in  the  year  1801, 
a  great  excitement  had  been  created  in  the  West  of  the  United 


—  24  — 

States,  although  it  was  as  yet  unknown  that  those  regions  had 
been  cecVed  to  France. 

Thelntendant  of  Louisiana  announced  that  the  term  during 
which  the  inhabitants  of  the  West  had  been  allowed  the  privi- 
lege of  a  deposit  for  their  products  in  New  Orleans,  was  abont 
to  expire.  The  Legislature  of  Kentucky  thereupon  convened, 
and  declared  that  if  the  government  of  I  he  United  States  did  not 
choose  to  protect  the  Western  people,  the  Kentuckians  would 
take  up  arms  themselves,  and  march  to  Lower  Louisiana,  forci- 
bly to  take  possession  of  it.  The  Legislature  of  Tennessee  made 
declarations  to  the  same  effect,  as  also  the  Grand  Jury  of  the 
Mississippi  territory.  The  Intendant  withdrew  his  decree  ; 
but  as  he  might  at  any  moment  renew  it,  the  people  of  the 
West  were  not  quieted;  the  future  appeared  to. them  dark  and 
uncertain. 

On  the  17th  March  1802,  the  peace  of  Amiens  having  been 
signed  by  England,  France  and  Spain,  the  treaty  of  St.  Ilde- 
fonso,  by  which  Louisiana  had  been  ceded  to  France,  became 
public.  It  was  a  matter  of  astonishment  in  Europe,  that  the 
French  government  did  not  now  prepare  any  military  expe- 
dition for  Louisiana — they  who  in  lb>02  had  sent  an  army 
of  forty  thousand  men  to  Saint  Domingo  under  general  Le- 
clerc. 

Napoleon  only  made  some  insignificant  demonstrations  in 
order  to  induce  the  United  States  to  enter  into  negociations 
relative  Jo  Louisiana.  The  government  of  the  colony  was 
first  proposed  to  general  Bernadotte  ;  but  he  waa  purposely 
denied  what  he  thought  necessary  there,  tG  maintain  his  au- 
thority. But  the  United  States  making  no  overtures,  Laus- 
sat  was  sent  to  Louisiana  in  1803,  with  the  title  of  prefect. 
He  was  accompanied  by  adjutant  Burl  he,  aird  by  lieutenant 
Dominique  Burthe,  his  brother,  by  colonel  Viuach«,  of  the  en- 
gineers, and  by  captain  Castille,  of  the  artillery  who  brought 
with  him  six  field  pieces.  Laussat  was  a  bearer  of  a  letter 
to  me  from  my  relative  de  Pontalba,  whom  I  have  already 
menli&ned ;  he  invited  me  to  tender  the  use  of  my  house  to 
Laussat  and  to  his  wife,  a  woman  of  remarkable  beauty  and 
wit.  Madam  Lanssat  was  accompanied  by  her  two  dauglv- 


—  25  — 

ters  aged  fourteen  and  twelve.  D'Augereau  was  the  secre- 
tary of  the  prefect.  As  my  house  was  large,  I  had  reserved 
for  myself  two  apartments  :  Laussat  had  tendered  me  a  seat 
at  his  table  and  the  entrance  of  his  saloons ;  I  was  therefore 
one  of  his  intimate  society;  and  I  have  often  heard  him  ex- 
claim :  "The  French  troops  arrive  not."  It  was  known  that 
after  the  refusal  of  Bernadotte,  general  Victor  had  been  ap- 
pointed to  the  government  of  Louisiana,  and  no  preparations 
were  made  either  for  the  departure  of  that  officer  or  of  any 
military  force. 

Chancellor  Livingston,  then  United  States  minister  in  Paris, 
was  rather  a  man  of  learning  than  a  diplomate ;  he  had  paid 
thus  far  but  litile  attention  to  the  question  of  the  navigation 
of  the  Mississippi.  Under  these  circumstances,  two  mer- 
chants from  New  Orleans  arrived  in  Paris,  they  were  James 
Pilot,  a  man  of  learning  and  judgment,  who  was  subsequent- 
ly for  many  years  mayor  of  New  Orleans,  and  Daniel  Clarke, 
an  Irishman  by  birth,  of  an  active  and  restless  spirit,  who  was 
reputed  at  the  time  as  the  largest  land-holder  in  Louisiana. 
In  consequence  of  the  representations  of  these  two  citizens 
to  the  American  minister,  of  the  grievances  of  the  people  of 
the  Western  part  of  the  United  States,  Livingston  addressed 
a  letter  to  the  minister  of  foreign  affairs,  Talleyrand  de  Peri- 
gord,  in  order  to  ascertain  the  intentions  of  the  French  go- 
vernment as  to  the  navigation  of  the  Mississippi,  and  the 
mart  which  was  indispensable  in  Louisiana,  for  the  products 
of  the  Western  country.  Talleyrand  expressed,  in  his  answer 
to  the  American  minister,  the  desire  that  the  existing  har- 
mony between  the  two  nations  should  not  be  interrupted ;  but 
he  promised  nothing  positively.  Livingston,  although  with- 
out any  authority  from  his  government,  thereupon  thought 
proper  to  enler  into  negociations  with  the  French  cabinet  in 
relation  to  Louisiana.  He  offered  a  sum  of  three  millions  of 
dollars  for  the  Isle  of  Orleans,  from  the  head  of  the  river  Man- 
chac  to  lake  Maurepas,  then  following  a  line  in  the  middle  of 
said  lake,  and  of  lake  Pontchartrain,  through  the  middle  of 
the  Rigolets,  and  turning  around  the  coast  of  the  Mexican 
Gulf  to  the  Mississippi,  and  thence  continuing  up  said  river 

4 


lu  the  point  of  departure.    The  answer  of  Talleyrand  to  this 
proposition  was  less  evasive. 

In  Louisiana,  the  people  were  uneasy  as  to  the  new  govern- 
ment about  to  be  established  in  the  country.     The  former 
French  administration  had  left  unpleasant  reminiscences,  and 
the  mild  and  paternal  government  which  Spain  had  estab- 
lished there  had  given  general  satisfaction ;  for  with  the  ex- 
ception of  the  Governor,  the  Intendant  and  the  Chief  Judge, 
nine  tenths  of  the  employees,  both  in  the  civil  and  military  ser- 
vice, in  New  Orleans,  as  well  as  in  the  country,  were  natives 
of  Louisiana.     In  the  West,  excitement  had  reached  its  high- 
est point,  and  nothing  less  than  the  invasion  and  conquest  of 
Louisiana,  to  prevent  the  French  from  taking  possession  of  it, 
Was  talked  of. — Thomas  Jefferson  advised  his  fellow-citizens 
to  be  patient,  and  to  await  the  result  of  the  great  transaction 
he  was  meditating,  in  a  mind  as  comprehensive,  as  his  -pa 
triotism  was  great.     Being  informed  that  Livingston  had  met 
With  but  little  success,  he  addressed  to  James  Monroe  a  press- 
ing letter :  "He  urged  upon  him  to  depart  without  delay  for 
France,  giving  him  unlimited  powers  on  account  of  the  great 
distance,  and  setting  forth  the  eminent  services  he  might  ren- 
der his  country."     Devoted  to  the   interests  of  his  country, 
Monroe  immediately  departed  on  his  mission;  but  the  season 
being  unfavorable,  he  did  not  reach  Paris  until  April,  after  a 
long  and  tedious  voyage.     Napoleon  awaited  him  with  impa- 
tience.    Barbe   Marbois,  then  minister  of  the  treasury,    was 
entrusted  on  the  part  of  France  with  the  negociations  which 
were  about  to  be  opened  in  relation  to  the  navigation  of  the 
Mississippi.     At  the  first  interview  between  the  Representa- 
tives of  the  two  countries,  Livingston  and  Monroe  were  sur- 
prised at  the  propositions  of  Barbe*  Marbois  :  "you  desire,"  said 
he,  "the  navigation  of  the  Mississippi  and  a  mart  at  New  Or 
leans  ;  well  !  we  will  sell  you  the  whole  of  Louisiana,  with  its 
primitive  boundaries,  such  as  France  first  possessed  it ;   that 
is  to  say,  we  will  sell  it  as  we  received  it  from  Spain  by  the 
treaty  of  St.  Ildefonso  in  the  year  1800."     The  price  was  soon 
agreed  upon,  and  was  fixed  at  80  millions  of  francs,  of  which 
twenty  millions  were  to  be  retained  by  the  government  of  the 


_  27  — 

• 

United  States,  as  an  indemnity  to  those  of  its  citizens,  who 
had  suffered  losses  from  seizures  of  their  goods  or  vessels, 
made  at  different  periods  by  French  ships. 

An  obstacle  presented  itself  to  the  execution  of  this  treaty, 
which  might  have  been  considered  difficult  to  overcome  ;  but 
Napoleon,  on  this  occasion,  disregarded  the  obligations  es- 
tablished by  the  law  of  nations.  By  a  secret  treaty,  bearing 
the  same  date  with  that  of  St.  Ildefonso,  it  had  been  stipulated 
that  France  should  not  transfer  Louisiana  to  any  other  nation, 
and  that  if  it  so  happened  that  she  could  not  or  would  not 
keep  it,  she  should  retrocede  it  to  Spain.  This  precaution  on 
the  part  of  Spain  is  an  evidence  that  already  at  that  period, 
the  cabinet  of  Madrid  were  fearful  of  the  encroachments  of  the 
Anglo-Saxon  race  towards  Mexico.  Napoleon  doubtless  feared 
that  impediments  would  arise  on  the  part  of  Spain,  but  these 
would  be  but  slight,  when  Laussat  would  have  been  put  in 
possession  of  Louisiana  by  the  Spanish  commissioners,  Don 
Manuel  de  Salzedo  and  the  Marquis  of  Casacalvo.  The 
choice  of  these  commissioners  was  injudicious  :  Salzedo  was 
an  infirm  octogenarian;  Casacalvo  had  but  little  ability.  His 
estates,  his  family,  his  dearest  habits  were  in  Cuba,  and  he 
longed  to  return  to  his  house-hold  gods. 

Napoleon  had  despatched  to  Washington,  with  the  treaty 
which  had  to  undergo  the  formality  of  ratification  by  the 
Senate,  a  distinguished  young  officer  by  the  name  of  Landais. 
This  officer  had  been  instructed  not  to  take  the  usual  con- 
veyances from  Washington  to  New  Orleans.  Landais  tra- 
versed on  horse  back  and  at  full  speed  the  Indian  territory, 
and  arrived  in  New  Orleans  on  the  23d  November.  He  de- 
livered immediately  to  Laussat  the  despatch  of  the  French 
government,  urging  him  to  take  immediate  possession  of 
Louisiana,  I  witnessed  the  vexation  as  well  as  the  surprise 
of  Laussat.  He  said  that  he  had  been  sent  to  Louisiana  only 
to  awaken  the  attention  of  the  Western  people  and  to  arouse 
their  passions. 

Laussat  repaired  immediately  to  Salzedo's  quarters,  where 
he  met  also  with  Casacalvo.  The  old  man  wished  to  delay 
action  until  they  had  received  further  orders ;  but  Casacalvq 


having  declared  his  opinion  that  Louisiana  should  be  imme- 
diately delivered  over  to  the  French  authority,  orders  were 
given  to  that  effect.  Laussat  had  not  a  single  soldier.  The 
French,  under  the  command  of  Mr.  Charpin,  a  retired  officer, 
formed  a  militia  company;  the  Anglo-Saxons  formed  under 
Daniel  Clarke.  Gabriel  Villere  and  B.  Marigny  were  the 
aids-de-camp  of  Laussat ; — and  on  the  30th  November  1803, 
the  Spanish  flag  was  succeeded  by  the  French. 

At  Washington-City,  so  soon  as  the  bearer  of  despatches 
who  brought  the  treaty  of  cession  had  arrived,  the  Marquis 
Casa  y  Rouco,  the  Spanish  minister,  laid  his  protest  before  the 
United  States  Senate  ;  it  was  based  upon  the  violation  of  the 
secret  treaty,  by  which  France  could  cede  Louisiana  to  no 
other  power  but  Spain.  When  France  delivered  Louisiana  in- 
to the  hands  of  the  American  government,  universal  astonish- 
ment was  expressed.  It  could  not  be  conceived  how  a  nation 
who,  at  different  periods,  had  so  much  desired  and  envied 
Louisiana,  could  have  bartered  for  80  millions  of  francs,  a  ter- 
ritory almost  as  extensive  as  the  continent  of  Europe,  and 
valuable  by  the  fertility  of  its  soil  and  the  production  of 
limbers  for  naval  constructions.  Napoleon  alone  was  aware 
that  Spain  had  ceded  those  vast  territories  to  France,  with 
the  sole  object  of  establishing  a  barrier  between  the  United 
States  and  Mexico.  He  knew  also  that  France  however  de- 
sirous of  possessing  Louisiana,  could  not  have  preserved  it 
for  more  than  a  few  years — that  she  would  be  burthened  with 
all  the  expenditures  of  this  colony,  whilst  its  commerce  would 
inure  to  the  benefit  of  the  Americans.  However,  the  first  Con- 
sul desirous  of  securing  to  himself  some  merit  in  the  eyes  of 
the  United  States,  ostensibly  pretended  to  set  aside  french  in- 
terests, in  order  to  afford  the  American  Union  the  means  of 
becoming  one  of  the  greatest  nations  on  the  globe,  and,  the 
only  one  that  might,  from  the  genius  of  its  people,  success- 
fully compete  with  proud  Albion  for  the  supremacy  of  the  seas. 
On  the  other  hand,  the  friends  of  the  1st  Consul  maintained 
that  the  English  might  have  taken  Louisiana  by  way  of  the 
lakes,  by  expeditions  from  Canada,  or  by  ascending  the  Mis- 
sissippi. These  were  not  the  true  motives  that  operated  upon 
'he  French  cabinet  in  regard  to  the  cession  made  to  the  Uni- 


—  29  — 

ted  States.  For  it  may  be  easily  demonstrated  that  it  was 
scarcely  possible  for  England  to  have  conquered  Louisiana  as 
alleged.  In  the  first  place,  to  conquer  this  colony  by  passing 
over  the  lakes  from  Canada,  would  have  required  an  army  of 
at  least  ten  thousand  men,  to  be  transported  over  a  distance 
of  nearly  five  hundred  leagues,  with  all  its  materials  of  war 
and  subsistance.  Then,  on  reaching  the  Mississippi,  the  con- 
struction of  a  great  number  of  boats  became  necessary.  Who 
can  believe  that  the  American  people,  so  proud  of  their  rights, 
and  their  nationality,  would  have  suffered  a  British  army  to 
violate  their  territories  in  its  inarch  against  a  friendly  nation? 
Avho  had  aided  them  in  the  achievement  of  their  indepen- 
dence ?  This  is  an  absurdity  which  could  not  have  been  ap- 
prehended by  the  strong  mind  of  Napoleon.  The  other  sup- 
position, although  more  plausible,  is  scarcely  more  rational,  to 
wit :  that  Louisiana  might  have  been  taken  by  ascending  the 
Mississippi.  When  the  Mississippi  is  at  high  water,  the 
opening  of  the  dikes  would  suffice  to  arrest  a  whole  army  in 
its  march  to  New  Orleans.  At  that  period,  steam  vessels  had 
not  yet  been  invented,  to  contend  against  the  current  of  great 
rivers;  an  army,  between  the  gulf  and  the  point  now  called 
the  English  Turn,  would  have  been  soon  decimated  by  disease, 
intermittent  fevers,  and  especially  by  yellow  fever.  During 
the  season  of  low  water,  the  space  comprised  between  the 
English  Turn  and  the  sea,  is  intersected  by  bayous  and 
swamps.  Admitting  that  France  would  have  had  but  three 
thousand  men  in  Louisiana;  this  force,  united  with  the  in- 
habitants of  the  country,  who  were  natives  for  the  greater  part, 
active  and  adroit  in  the  use  of  fire  arms,  would  have  sufficed 
to  check  a  British  army  of  10,000  men.  Thousands  of  Indians 
also  could  have  been  obtained  as  auxiliaries,  who,  in  the 
swamps  of  Lower  Louisiana,  would  have  been  useful  sharp- 
shooters. 

At  a  later  period,  it  has  been  shewn  that  European  armies 
were  not  successful  in  America.  It  seems  that  providence 
has  determined  to  protect  since  eighty  year?,  the  regions  that 
had  been  so  long  oppresed  by  Europe.  In  the  last  war  be- 
tween Spain  and  England,  from  1803  to  1808,  Lord  Beresford 


—  30  — 

ascended  the  la  Plata  with  8000  men,  and  took  Montevideo. 
An  officer  of  the  Spanish  navy,  by  the  name  of  de  Liniere, 
placed  himself  at  the  head  of  the  Creoles  of  the  country,  and 
gave  battle  to  the  British  army.  Defeated  by  de  Liniere, 
this  army  abandoned  the  Plata  and  the  province  of  Buenos- 
Ayres.  Subsequently  Lord  Abercromby  with  5000  men,  hav- 
ing taken  possession  of  a  portion  of  the  island  of  Porto-Rico, 
some  Spanish  officers  at  the  head  of  the  militia,  ventured  to 
attack  him ;  his  force  being  routed,  Abercromby  was  forced 
to  reembark.  And  finally  on  the  8th  of  January  1815,  we  have 
beheld  12,000  veterans  from  old  England,  before  the  Jackson 
lines,  repulsed  by  4000  men,  among  whom  scarcely  more  than 
500  regular  soldiers  could  be  counted. 

The  reader  may  now  understand  the  true  motives  of  the 
cession  of  Louisiana  by  France.  He  may  now  above  all,  just- 
ly appreciate  the  wisdom  of  our  government,  its  sagacity  and 
moderation.  From  1784  to  1803,  our  government,  both  in 
Congress  and  in  the  cabinet,  avoided  the  agitation  of  the  boun- 
dary questions  towards  the  Mississippi ;  they  awaited  until 
the  tide  of  population  had  reached  its  shores,  and  until  the  mo- 
ment had  arrived,  (for  him  who  bides  his  time,  all  turns  out 
well).  John  Adams,  Washington's  successor  in  office,  in- 
sisted upon  the  settlement  of  the  boundaries,  and  they  were 
at  last  established.  The  people  of  the  western  country  were  al- 
ready numerous  and  powerful;  they  carried  on  nearly  the  whole 
import  and  export  trade  of  Louisiana,  and  the  navigation  of 
the  Mississippi  could  no  longer  be  denied  them. 

Spain  having  become  convinced  that  the  country  was  no 
longer  to  her  but  an  object  of  considerable  expenditures,  ce- 
ded the  vast  territories  of  Louisiana  to  France  who  had  long 
desired  them.  Scarcely  had  the  latter  power  recovered  them, 
when  she  perceived  in  turn  that  they  would  be  of  no  value,  if 
not  onerous  to  her,  and  she  transferred  them  to  the  United 
States.  Presumptuous  spirits  of  all  classes  !  who  in  your  hot 
haste  and  indiscreet  ardor,  would  take  everything  by  storm, 
often  even  at  the  sacrifice  of  right  and  good  faith  !  render  your 
tribute  of  homage  to  the  wisdom  of  those  ancient  law-givers, 
of  those  immortal  citizens,  who  without  bloodshed,  without 


—  31  — 

interrupting  the  regular  progress  of  our  agriculture  and  com* 
merce,  had  in  the  course  of  twenty  years,  enlarged  by  more 
than  double  their  original  extent,  the  territories  of  our  beloved 
country ! 

The  eight  years  of  Thomas  Jefferson's  happy  administration 
expired  in  1808.  Jarnes  Madison  then  assumed  the  Presi* 
dential  chair;  his  administration  was  arduous,  he  had  many 
embarrassments  to  meet,  many  difficulties  to  overcome.  But 
his  wisdom,  his  ability  proved  equal  to  every  emergency. 

At  that  .period,  England  was  mistress  of  the  seas  ;  no  power 
could  raise  against  her  a  fleet  of  30  ships.  She  could  be  met 
only  in  single  combats  of  ship  against  ship,  or  frigate  against 
frigate. 

Napoleon,  in  the  Prussian  campaign  of  1806  and  1807)  hav- 
ing won  the  battle  of  lena,  entered  Berlin,  and  proclaimed 
his  continental  system  (which  was  to  conquer  the  seas  by  land), 
The  English,  by  way.  of  retaliation,  proclaimed  their  "orders 
in  Council,"  called  the  paper  blockade.  Neutrality  was  not 
respected  ;  all  vessels  were  liable  to  be  searched  ;  the  flag  did 
not  cover  the  merchandize,  and  our  seamen  were  impressed,  or 
otherwise  vexed.  Madison  addressed  his  remonstrances  to  the 
cabinet  of  St.  James,  but  they  were  unavailing.  With  the  view 
of  bringing  England  in  to  measures  of  moderation  and  justice 
the  government  of  Washington  in  1808,  laid  an  embargo  upon 
the  ports  of  the  United  States.  Our  commerce  was  paralysed  ; 
the  products  of  our  agriculture  were  without  means  of  expor- 
tation ;  our  bread  stuffs,  our  salt  meats,  tobacco  and  cotton 
remained  in  the  ware-houses  without  value,  and  were  finally 
sold  to  pay  storage  ;  our  flour  fermented,  and  was  thrown  into 
the  water. 

This  state  of  things  had  lasted  for  three  years,  when  the 
Americans  having  exhausted  their  patience  and  modera- 
tion, declared  war  against  England.  The  English  exerted 
against  the  United  States  all  the  forces  they  could  dispose  of 
Our  means  of  defence  at  that  period  were  quite  limited  :  we 
had  but  five  frigates,  and  some  gun-boats  upon  our  lakes  and 
rivers.  This  war  however  was  not  inglorious  to  the  American 
arms.  Wherever  our  frigates  encountered  a  British  frigate, 


—  32  — 

victory  was  ours.  A  single  one,  the  Chesapeake,  succombed 
after  a  xireadful  combat.  Being  mortally  wounded,  Commodore 
Lawrence  was  heard  to  utter  the  noble  sentiment:  '"My  friends^ 
don't  give  up  the  ship."  On  lake  Erie,  the  British  fleet  was 
destroyed  by  Commodore  Perry.  At  last,  the  campaign  of  An- 
drew Jackson  in  Louisiana,  which  was  closed  by  the  battle 
of  the  8th  of  January  1815,  drove  for  ever  the  British  Leopard 
from  this  land  of  liberty.  Peace  between  the  United  States  and 
Great  Britain  had  been  concluded  at  Ghent,  on  the  24th  De- 
cember 1814.  England  relinquished  her  odious  pretentious 
upon  our  ships,  and  we  were  placed  in  our  commercial  rela- 
tions with  her  upon  the  footing  of  the  most  favored  nations. 

In  1816,  James  Monroe  was  elected  to  the  Presidency  of 
the  United  States  ;  he  had  been  one  of  the  signers  of  the  treaty 
of  cession  of  Louisiana,  on  the  30th  April  1803.  By  his  wis- 
dom and  persuasive  arguments,  Monroe  convinced  the  cabinet 
of  Madrid  that  Florida  was  but  a  useless  burthen  to  Spain. 
This  power,  embarrassed  in  its  finances,  had  to  bear  ihe  ex- 
penditure of  maintaining  forts  and  garisons  in  a  country  which 
contributed  nothing  to  its  revenues,  and  was  destined  by  the 
force  of  circumstances,  at  some  future  day,  to  be  lost  to  Spain; 
whilst  it  was  of  value  to  the  United  States,  on  account  of  its 
harbours  on  the  Mexican  Gulf.  Spain  who  at  the  time,  yet 
entertained  hopes  of  preserving  or  reconquering  Mexico,  was 
induced  to  sell  Florida  to  the  United  States,  upon  the  condi- 
tion that  the  river  Sabine  would  form  our  boundary  towards 
her  Mexican  possessions.  We  therefore  came  into  possession 
of  those  excellent  harbours  :  Key- West,  Tampa-Bay,  Pensa- 
cola  and  St.  Joseph's  bay,  all  of  which  were  necessary  to  our 
merchant  vessels  as  well  at*  to  our  ships  of  war.  The  United 
States  have  since  caused  to  be  established  naval  depots  and 
navy  yards  in  some  of  those  ports. 

The  detractors  of  Monroe  maintained  thai  he  had  committed 
an  error  in  the  Florida  treaty,  by  accepting  the  Sabine  as  our 
boundary,  when  by  inquiring  into  the  past,  we  might  have 
claimed  the  Rio  Grande  as  the  limit  of  Ancient  Louisiana. 
But  James  Monroe,  judged  rightly,  that  it  was  urgent  above 
all  to  obtain  the  ports  of  Florida  and  to  secure  to  us  beyond 


dispute  the  bay  of  Mobile,  for  the  advantage  of  the  State  of 
Alabama.  Besides,  his  experience  had  given  him  a  deep  fore- 
sight into  the  tendencies  of  the'  Anglo-Saxon  race.  He  had 
beheld  it  climbing  over  the  Alieghanies,  traversing  the  Ohio, 
the  Cumberland,  and  subsequently  the  Mississippi,  the  Mis- 
souri, the  Arkansas,  the  Red  River,  all  of  them  large  and 
powerful  streams; — how  could  he  not  forsee  that  this  active  and 
enterprising  race,  would  soon  leap  over  the  small  stream  of 
the  Sabine,  to  tarry  but  a  moment  on  the  banks  of  the  Rio 
Grande  ?  Results  have  shown  that  this  ancient  citizen,  ripened 
as  he  was  by  experience  and  public  service,  had  formed  a  better 
judgment  of  things,  than  the  turbulent  spirits  who  blamed  him 
for  having  consented  to  the  Florida  treaty.  The  services  oi 
Jarnes  Monroe  will  forever  be  highly  appreciated  in  America. 

I  shall  pass  over  the  administration  of- John  Q,uincy  Adams, 
which  succeeded  that  of  Monroe,  and  lasted  but  four  years,  du- 
ring which  nothing  of  remarkable  interest  occured.  Aftef  John 
Qtiincy  Adams,  Andrew  Jackson  was  called  to  the  Presiden- 
tial chair.  His  disposition  was  generally  feared  ;  he  was 
thought  too  ardent  and  irascible  ;— but  his  well  known  pa- 
triotism and  the  nature  of  our  institutions  offered  sufficient 
guarantees.  Under  his  successful  administration,  the  public- 
debt  was  extinguished,  and  indeed  a  surplus  of  funds'  which 
remained  in  the  treasury,  was  divided  between  the  States.  It 
is  the  first  instance  in  modern  times  of  a  great  nation  being 
found  free  from  all  debt.  The  government  of  the  United  State's 
had  claims  of  long  standing  against  France,  against  Spain 
and  Portugal.  These  were  fill  adjusted  upon  equitable  prin- 
ciples. It  was  in  relation  to  the  claims  against  France,  our  an- 
cient ally,  and  in  order  to  avoid  obstacles  and  sensitiveness  on 
her  part,  that  Andrew  Jackson  declared  in  a  Message,  "That  it 
would  be  as  preposterous  to  suppose  that  he  had  intended  to 
insult  France,  as  it  would  be  ridiculous  to  imagine  that  she 
would  allow  herself  to  be  insulted."  Louis  Philip,  a  wise  and 
enlightened  king,  contributed  greatly  to  arrangements  calcur 
feted  to  preserve  the  friendly  relations  of  the  two  nations.  I 
have  seen  but  few  men,  who  entertained  a  greater  admiration 
of  our  institutions,  and'a  higher  opinion  of  the  American  people.' 


34  — 

htan  the  King  of  the  French.  In  his  youth,  he  had  travelled 
over  the  United  States ;  he  had  seen  and  studied  every  thing 
there.  Louis  Philip  was  really  a  man  under  the  garb  of  royal- 
yt ;  he  was  a  republican  King. 

The  administration  of  General  Jackson  was  however  marked 
yb  an  event,  which  illustrates  the  prejudice  that  may  ensue  to 
the  policy  of  our  government  from  the  absence  of  moderation  ; 
but  this  circumstance,  not  to  say  this  error,  must  be  attributed 
in  him,  to  the  painful  reminiscences  of  his  fatigues  and  suffer- 
ings during  the  arduous  war  against  the  Creeks  and  Semi- 
noles.  James  Monroe  had  acquired  Florida  for  the  price  of 
five  millions  of  dollars.  It  was  necessary,  in  order  to  invite 
mAerican  settlements  there,  that  the  Creeks  and  Seminoles 
should  emigrate  to  the  Indian  territory.  I  amenclined  to  think 
that  if  the  Indian  chiefs  had  been  conducted  to  that  fine  region, 
to  examine  it  for  themselves,  and  become  convinced  that  its 
soil  was  richer  than  that  of  Florida,  and  its  wild  game  more 
abundant — that  if  some  sacrifice  of  money  had  been  made  to 
buy  up  their  cattle,  which  could  not  be  carried  with  them — 
that  if,  in  short,  an  amount  of  a  million  of  dollars  had  been 
given  them  as  an  indemnity  for  their  removal,  and  to  aid  them 
in  forming  their  new  establishments — the  Indians  might  have 
been  removed  from  Florida  without  difficulty.  But  modera- 
tion did  not  prevail,  and  Avar  ensued.  This  war  was  carried 
on  for  a  few  years,  at  the  cost  of  about  30  millions  of  dollars — 
a  sum  almost  as  large  as  that  for  which  we  acquired  Loui- 
siana, Florida,  and  subsequently  New  Mexico  and  California. 

This  is  a  striking  example  ;  it  shows  that  a  government 
should  be  always  disposed  to  make  great  sacrifices  to  avoid 
war.  It  is  to  the  condition  of  peace,  enjoyed  with  but  few  in- 
terruptions by  the  United  Slates,  since  1784,  that  we  are  in- 
debted for  our  prosperity,  and  the  prodigious  increase  of  our 
population. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  dwell  upon  the  administrations  which 
immediately  followed  that  of  Andrew  Jackson  ;  for  nothing  of 
note  occurred,  until  the  advent  of  James  K.  Polk  into  power. 
However,  under  the  administration  of  John  Tyler,  who  be- 


—  85  — 

came  President  at  the  death  of  General  Harrison,  the  prelimi- 
naries of  the  annexation  of  Texas  took  place. 

Our  attention  is  now  called  to  the  administration  of  James 
K.  Polk,  and  to  the  great  events  which  have  rendered  it  memo- 
rable. The  territory  of  Texas  was  annexed  to  the  American 
Union,  notwithstanding  the  opposition  of  France  and  England. 
This  annexation  was  national.  Since  the  battle  of  St.  Jacinto, 
during  nearly  seven  years,  active  hostilities  had  ceased.  Texas 
had  been  recognized  as  an  independent  State,  by  the  United 
States,  by  France,  England,  and  the  rest  of  Europe.  This 
fraction  of  the  American  people,  who  had  separated  from  the 
great  family,  spoke  the  same  language,  and  had  preserved  the 
same  usages  and  laws  ;  it  was  natural  that  it  should  return  to 
the  bosom  of  the  mother-country. 

Zacharie  Taylor  received  orders  from  the  government  of  Wa- 
shington to  encamp  with  his  command  upon  the  Rio  Grande, 
the  ancient  boundary  of  Louisiana.  The  Mexicans  then  provok- 
ed by  their  acts  the  commencement  of  hostilities.  They  crossed 
the  Rio  Grande,  and  massacred  some  of  our  officers.  Hence 
the  war,  and  our  triumps  !  Taylor  won  the  celebrated  battle 
of  Buena- Vista,  and  Scott  planted  the  star  spangled  banner 
upon  the  walls  of  Mexico,  the  ancient  capital  of  the  Monte- 
zumas. 

This  war  and  its  results  were  calculated  to  elevate  the  cha- 
racter of  our  people  in  their  own  estimation ,'as  well  as  in  that  of 
the  world.  Our  magnanimity  was  equal  to  our  courage.  Ins- 
tead of  following  the  examples  of  Europe  in  such  cases;  ins- 
tead of  keeping  forcible  possession  of  any  portion  of  the  con- 
quered territory,  and  requiring  re-embursement  for  the  sums 
which  the  war,  provoked  by  the  Mexican  Republic,  had  cost 
us,  we  gave  fifteen  millions  of  dollars  for  New-Mexico  and 
California.  The  former,  a  useless  possession  and  even  a  bur- 
then to  Mexico,  who,  like  Spain  formerly,  was  obliged  to  main- 
tain there  an  army  to  prevent  the  devastations  of  the  barbarous 
Comanches  upon  the  cultivated  lands  of  Mexico  ;  whilst  Ca- 
lifornia had  been  but  an  improutable  territory,  scarcely  con- 
taining fifteen  hundred  inhabitants,  most  of  whom  were  under 
he  influence  of  the  most  idle  habits.  What  greater  example 


be  presented  of  generosity  and  moderation? — What  more 
convincing  proof,  that  in  the  territorial  aggrandizements  of  the 
United  States,  there  is  .nothing  repugnant  to  morality,  or  to  the 
laiws  of  nations? 

The  administration  of  Millard  Fillmore  was  signalized  by 
an  event  much  to  be  regretted  :  I  allude  to  the  invasion  of 
Cuba  by  a  number  of  adventurers  from  the  United  States. 
Surely,  no  one  more  than  myself,  deplored  the  unfortunate  end 
which  my  misguided  fellow-citizens  there  met  with.  Ire- 
member  to  have  toid  several  of  them  that  they  were  rushing  to 
certain  destruction  ;  that  they  would  not  find  in  the  population 
of  Cuba  the  necessary  elements  to  achieve  the  independence 
of  that  colony.  The  government  of  the  United  States  were 
opposed  to  the  expedition  against  Cuba. — They  did  not  suc- 
ceed however  in  preventing  its  departure.  But  what  was  its 
fate?  inquire  into  the  history  of  the  times,  and  that  history 
•vyill  tell  you  that  it  met  the  fate  under  which  succombed  the 
army  of  Toledo  in  1811,  and  subsequently  those  of  Colonel 
Mina,  of  Iturbide,  of  Mejia,  and  others. 

Let  us  throw'  a  veil  of  mourning  upon  this  sad  episode  of 
Cuba,  whose  catastrophe  was  the  death  of  our  brave  and  un- 
fortunate country-men 

The  inauguration  of  a  new  President  is  invariably  the  occa- 
sion of  numerous  conjectures  as  to  his  measures,  and  especially 
in  regard  to  his  foreign  policy  ;  the  idea  was  accordingly  en- 
tertained by  many,  that  Franklin  Pierce  would  tolerate  the 
expeditions  of  adventurers.  The  conduct  of  this  Magistrate  in 
assuming  the  executive  power,  has  shewn  that  he  was  firmly 
opposed  to  such  movements  ;  for  in  his  first  message,  he  der 
dared  that  he  would  exert  all  the  power  vested  in  him  by  the 
laws  to  suppress  all  armed  expeditions  against  a  friendly 
power.  The  policy  of  Franklin  Pierce  is  not  opposed  to  the 
annexation  of  Cuba  to  the  United  States, — far  from  it ;  but  he 
is  aware  that  the  cabinet  of  Washington,  without  impairing 
its  reputation  of  probity,  can  reach  this  result,  by  adhering  to 
the  principles  adopted  by  Washington  and  by  John  Adams,  to 
obtain  the  left  bank  of  the  Mississippi,  from  the  31st  degree  of 
latitude  to  its  head  water.?:  principles  which  have  been  sue? 


—  37  — 

cessively  observed  by  Jefferson,  Monroe,  and  Folk,  in  relation 
to  the  acquisition  of  Louisiana,  the  Floridas,  New-Mexico 
and  California.  Those  great  statesmen,  enlightened  as  they 
themselves  were,  felt  that  they  should  obey  the  precepts  of 
George  Washington,  the  father  of  his  country,  who  had  esta- 
blished our  foreign  policy  upon  the  basis  of  justice,  morality 
and  probity.  Whoever  departs  from  those  precepts,  will  be 
looked  upon  by  the  American  people  as  an  Atheist  in  politics. 

I  am  proud  and  happy  to  share   the  opinions  of  Franklin 
Pierce,  and  of  the  illustrious  men  who  preceded  him. 

I  have  sufficiently  dwelt  upon  the  foreign  policy  of  the  Uni- 
ted States  in  relation  to  their  territorial  aggrandizements ; 
upon  the  treaties  between  France  and  Spain,  and  upon  the 
causes  which  have  gradually  led  to  independence  the  British 
colonies  and  the  Spanish  colonies  in  America,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  the  islands  of  Cuba  and  Porto-Rico.  I  desired  in 
the  first  place  to  vindicate  our  government,  and  in  the  next, ' 
to  show  to  other  nations,  that  in  the  history  of  past  ages,  there 
is  nothing  nobler  and  wiser  than  the  principles  of  adminis- 
tration which  have  guided  the  cabinet  of  Washington.  Pro- 
vidence has  thus  far  protected  the  American  people.  Its  ter- 
ritory, honorably  enlarged,  is  susceptible  of  .containing  more 
than  a  hundred  million  of  inhabitants.  Its  possessions  upoa 
the  Pacific  Ocean  will  permit  the  establishment  of  the  most 
advantageous  commercial  relations  with  the  nations  of  Asia, 
and  its  progress  in  commerce,  agriculture  and  manufactures, 
assumes  gigantic  proportions.  During  our  wars,  the  militia 
shewed  themselves  equal  to  veteran  soldiers,  and  great  Generals 
sprang  up  ;  our  merchant  ships  are  innumerable,  and  our 
military  navy  is  respected  and  admired.  Honor  then  to  our 
government !  honor  to  our  Presidents !  honor  again  and  again 
to  .the  memories  of  the  immortal  Washington,  of  Jefferson,  Mon- 
joe,  Jackson,  Polk,  and  of  many  other  great  men,  who  have 
thrown  lustre  upon  our  beloved  and  noble  country. 


SECOND    PART. 


The  disturbances  of  which  the  Island  of  Cuba  has  been  the 
theatre,  and  the  desire  manifested  by  the  American  people  to 
acquire  this  colony,  having  given  rise  to  apprehensions  of  dif- 
ficulties between;  Spain  and  the  United  States,  it  may  not  be 
out  of  place  to  enter  into  some  views  of  the  Spanish  peninsula,, 
as  well  as  of  its  resources  and  the  character  of  its  peoplei 

In  Spain,  the  population  amounts  to  sixteen  millions.  In 
1808,  it  did  not  exceed  eleven  millions.  Notwithstanding, 
the  wars  with  the  French  from.  1808  to  1814  ;  notwithstand- 
ing the  excesses  of  Ferdinand  the  7th,  who  caused  many 
Spaniards  to  perish  or  to  emigrate,  and  finally,,  in.  spite  o£ 
civil  war,  the  population  of  Spain  has  increased  by  five  mil- 
lions of  souls  in  the  space  of  thirty  five  years.  Tranquillity;, 
has  been  restored  in  Spain,  only  since  the  retreat  of  Don  Car- 
los from  the  peninsula  together  with  his  adherents,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  capitulation  of  General  Maroto  in  1839.  This 
nation  enjoys  a  representative  government ;  there  is  a  Senate 
and  a  House  of  Representatives,,  to  whom  the  ministry  are- 
accountable.  The  press  is  free,  with  the  exception  of.  a  few 
restrictions,  and  public  education  is  in  a  course  of  progress. 
The  lands  of  the  clergy  have  been  sold  and  are  now  under 
cultivation  ;  the  extensive  plains  of  Castille,  formerly  reserved 
for  the  pasturage  of  sheep,  have  been  divided,  and  are  now 
eulti.vated.  New  districts  have  been  established;  catholic 
Switzers  and  Irishmen  have  been  settled  there,  and  railroads 
are  in  progress  of  construction.  The  lands  of.  Spain  are  fer- 
tile— its  mountains  contain  mines  of  icon,  quicksilver,  gold 


—  40  — 

and  silver.  The  Carthagenians  as  well  as  the  Romans  had 
worked  those  mines.  The  Spaniards  have  ceased  to  work 
them  only  since  the  discovery  of  America. 

The  coasts  of  Spain  comprise  an  extent  of  seven  hundred 
leagues  ;  along  them  are  to  be  found  the  following  harbors,  ca- 
pable of  receiving  either  ships  of  war,  frigates  or  large  steam- 
ships :  Algesiras,  Malaga,  Carthagena,-  Alicante,  Valencia, 
Barcelona,  Rosa,  Moquere,  Cadiz,  Corona,  Vigo,  Ferrol, 
St.  Ander,  St.  Sebastian  and  Bilbao.  Her  regular  army  amounts 
to  90,000  men.  She  possesses  about  30  ships  of  war  of  va- 
rious sizes,  of  which  30  are  under  steam  power,  and  a  consi- 
derable number  of  merchant  vessels.  The  number  of  her  sea- 
men of  the  1st,  2d  and  3d  classes,  amounts  to  about  40,000, 
including  those  engaged  in  the  coasting  trade  of  Europe  and 
the  fisheries.  The  population  of  her  islands  is  in  the  follow- 
ing proportions  :— Cuba,  1,300,000  ;  Porto  Rico,  600,000 ;  the 
Baleares  in  the  Mediterranean,  400,000 ;  the  Canaries  500,000; 
the  Philippines,  600,000  at  least ;  forming  a  total  of  19,400,000 
souls. 

The  patriotism  of  the  Spaniards  is  as  great  as  their  courage. 
When  the  Romans  subdued  them,  they  caused  their  right 
hands  to  be  cut  off,  in  order  to  secure  their  fidelity.  The 
Moors  remained  for  nearly  eight  centuries  in  possession  of  a 
part  of  Spain  ;  they  had  invaded  it  through  the  treason  of  the 
countess  of  St.  Julien  in  Andalusia.  The  war  against  the 
Moors  was  unceasing  until  it  ended  ;  and  the  race  of  the  Pe* 
lasgian  Kings  was  compelled  to  retire  into  the  mountains  of 
Asturta.  Conquered  at  last  by  the  Spaniards,  the  Moors  sub- 
mitted to  the  sway  of  Ferdinand  and  Isabella,  as  their  sove- 
reign princes.  The  war  undertaken  by  Napoleon  against 
Spain  lasted  six  years  ;  to  maintain  it,  the  Spanish  people  rose 
in  mass.  Four  hundred  thousand  Frenchmen  perished  in  this 
national  war;  and  the  armies  of  Napoleon  were  compelled  to 
abandon  the  peninsula. 

Tn  stating  these  facts,  my  object  has  been  to  make  known 
the  character  of  the  Spanish  nation,  as  well  as  its  power. 
But  this. is  no  reason  for  avoiding  war  with  Spain,  if  any  pro- 
vocation or  injustice  on  her  part  should  require  us  to  take 


41  

up  arms  against  her.  With  the  Americana,  with -a  free  peo- 
ple, the  maintenance  of  the  national  honor  without  a  stain,  i$ 
paramount  to  every  other  consideration. 

.  Let  us  pass  now  to  the  statistics  of  the  Island  of  Cub*. 
This  colony  extends  in  length  220  leagues ;  its  breadth  in  lha 
narrowest  part  is  7  leagues,  and  in  the  widest  39  ;  making  an 
average  of  23  leagues  in  breadth,  and  a  superficial  area  of  5,060 
leagues  ;  or  35,703,360  arpents.  Cuba  possesses  41  harbours, 
many  of  them  capable  of  admitting  ships  of  war,  frigates  or 
steamships.  It  is  traversed  by  mountain  ranges  which  con- 
tain copper  mines  ;  its  climate  is  uniform,  and  frosts  do  not 
visit  it.  The  sugar  cane  there  may  yield  for  twelve  years 
without  being  replanted.  Coffee  grows  extremely  well  la- 
the mountain  region,  as  well  as  cotton,- which  maybe  picked  at 
least  during  eight  months  in  the  year,  and  not  during  four 
months  only  as  in  Louisiana.  The  tobacco  of  this  island  is 
of  superior  quality,  and  may  even  be  called  the  best  in  the 
world,  especially  for  cigars.  According  to  the  best  data,  only 
one  tenth  of  the  land  in  this  colony  is  under  cultivation. 

The  Island  of  Cuba  is  situated  at  the  entrance  of  the  Gulf 
of  Mexico,  near  the  point  of  Florida.  The  Florida  channel 
can  scarcely  be  passed,  without  giving  a  view  of  Havana,  a 
strongly  fortified  city,  whose  population-  amounts  to  nearly 
200,000  souls.  In  this  island,  are  found  immense  forests  of 
mahogany  and  of  iron  wood,  the  be.st  of  all  timbers  for  the 
construction  of  vessels  of  war.  The  population  of  the  Island 
of  Cuba  is  thus  divided,  to  wit :  100,000  European  Spaniards, 
engaged  in  commerce  and  fisheries ;  400,000  Creoles  ;  200,000 
free  persons  of  color,  and  600,000  slaves.  Among  the  100,000 
"Bucopean  Spaniards  are  included  22,000  men  in  the  regular 
troops,  arid  about  4,000  on  the  vessels  of  war,  which  number 
about  24.  The  free  people  of  color  are  faithful  to  the  govern- 
ment on  account  of  the  little  prejudice  entertained  by  the 
Spaniards  against  casts.  The  nobility,  the  wealthy  gen- 
try, who  own  the  real  estate,  and  who  cultivate  the  sugar  and 
coffee  plantations,  support  the  government,  through  the  fear  of 
losing  their  estates,  either  by  an  invasion,  by  a  revolution, 
or  by  the  liberation  of  the  blocks,  which  the  government 

6 


—  43  — 

threatens  constantly  to  proclaim.  The  people  in  the  towns 
and  the  peasantry,  generally  devoid  of  all  education  and  ef- 
feminate, do  but  little  work,  and  pass  a  great  portion  of  their 
time  at  balls  or  religious  ceremonies.  This  part  of  the  popu- 
lation are  kept  in  awe  by  the  army,  the  police  and  the  clergy. 
The  young  men  of  the  middle  classes,  those  of  them  especially 
who  have  been  educated  in  the  United  States  or  in  Europe, 
are  in  favor  of  independence.  The  Cuban  nobility  are  nu- 
merous and  wealthy.  Their  fortunes  cannot  be  lost  under 
the  present  system,  for  their  revenues  only  are  subject  to  sei- 
zure, and  the  entailed  estates  in  that  privileged  class  are  pro- 
tected by  the  laws.  It  is  therefore  evident  that  the  elements 
of  a  revolution  capable  of  snatching  it  from  Spain,  are  not  to 
be  found  in  Cuba. 

Admitting  that  it  be  necessary  or  indispensable  to  annex 
this  colony  to  the  United  Stales,  only  two  modes  of  attaining 
this  end  present  themselves  :  "either  to  wage  war  upon  Spain, 
or  to  purchase  Cuba  from  her."  The  Americans  doubtless 
might  take  possession  of  the  island  by  force  of  arms;  but  the 
Spanish  government  remaining  with  nothing  to  be  defended  or 
protected  in  America,  would  cause  to  be  equipped  a  great 
number  of  privateers.  Spain  is  situated  in  the  Southern  ex- 
tremity of  Europe.  The  American  vessels  navigating  in  that 
region,  being  almost  invariably  compelled  to  reconnoitre  the 
coast  of  the  Peninsula,  either  to  enter  the  Mediterranean  or 
to  pass  into  the  Northern  seas,  would  be  exposed  to  be  cap- 
tured. Our  commerce  and  agriculture  would  suffer,  and  we 
would  be  compelled  to  maintain  very  considerable  arma- 
ments. For  it  is  not  only  against  Spain  that  we  might  have 
to  contend,  but  probably  also  aga-inst  France  and  England. 
Even  if  it  lasted  but  five  years,  such  a  war  would  cost  our 
exchequer  more  than  a  thousand  millions.  To  this  sum, 
should  be  added  the  losses  of  our  citizens,  for  according  to  the 
spirit  of  our  institutions,  the  people  are  not  in  the  government, 
but  the  government  is  rather  in  the  people  who  are  sole  so- 
vereigns. The  idea  of  acquiring  the  island  of  Cuba  by  force 
of  arms  should  therefore  be  abandoned — it  would  cost  too 
dear ;  and  we  should  choose  rather  the  process  adopted  by 


_  43  ~ 

the  preceding  administrations  that  have  enlarged  our  territory 
— "We  must  buy  it." 

Let  us  inquire  now  into  the  value  of  Cuba  to  the  United 
States.  As  a  maritime  position,  Cuba  is  invaluable.  It  has 
a  front  of  220  leagues  to  the  Ocean  towards  the  North,  and  the 
same  to  the  South.  Commerce  and  agriculture  are  making 
stupendous  strides  in  the  valley  of  the  Mississippi  and  its  de- 
pendencies. 'Erelong,  St.  Louis  will  be  united  to  the  Pacific 
by  a  rail  road,  and  our  revenues  will  be  considerably  in- 
creased. We  must  therefore  be  masters  of  the  gulf;  but  wa 
cannot  be  so,  without  possessing  Cuba.  From  Norfolk  to 
Key  West,  we  have  no  harbours  capable  of  admitting  ships 
of  war.  Those  coming  from  the  Atlantic  States,  have  to  pass 

before  Havana,  which  is  the  key  of  the  gulf. 

i 

A  nation  so  wealthy  as  the  Americans,  whose  future  des- 
tinies are  beyond  the  previsions  of  the  most  glowing  fancy, 
should  indeed  make  great  sacrifices  to  come  into  possession 
of  Cuba.  Spain  could  not  yield  it  for  a  trifle  ;  and  to  attain 
this  happy  result,  arguments  must  be  use  dsufficiently  strong  to 
convince  the  cabinet  of  Madrid,  that  without  any  unfair  means 
on  our  part,  without  connivance  in  the  expeditions  of  adven- 
turers, this  island  must  cease,  at  some  future  day,  to  form 
a  part  of  the  Spanish  dominions  ;  the  attention  of  the  Spanish 
ministry  should  especially  be  brought  to  bear  upon  the  predic- 
tion of  Aranda,  one  of  the  greatest  statesmen  of  Spain,  who 
on  the  eve  of  signing  the  treaty  of  Paris  of  1784,  wrote  to 
Charles  the  3d  :  "I  do  not  wish  to  be  a  prophet,  but  I  much 
fear  that  before  fifty  years  will  have  elapsed,  there  will  remain 
to  your  Majesty,  out  of  all  your  vast  possessions  in  America, 
only  the  Islands  of  Cuba  and  Porto-Rico."  Forty  years  later, 
as  I  have  said,  the  prediction  was  accomplished. 

We  should  not  lose  sight  of  the  fact  that  our  population } 
which,  seventy-six  years  ago,  scarcely  amounted  to  three  mil- 
lions, now  numbers  twenty-four  millions  of  souls,  and  that  in 
ten  years,  it  will  probably  have  reached  thirty-five  millions. 
For  emigration  alone  gives  an  increase  of  500,000  souls  each 
y«ar. 


Now,  if  we  calculate  fully  the  large  revenues  which  might 
accrue  to  the  American  government  from  the  Custom  House* 
<?f  Cuba;  if  we  take  into  consideration  the  value  of  her  tim- 
ber for  for  naval  constructions,  her  copper  mines,  as  well  as 
her  superficial  extent,  which  is  capable  of  sustaining  a  popu- 
lation of  sixteen  millions  of  souls  (admitting  that  one  fourth 
of  that  population  will  inhabit  the  towns) — we  may  afford  be- 
yond question,  to  allow  for  this  colony,  a  liberal  price,  payable 
say  in  fifty  years,  and  bearing  only  3  0[0  interest  per  annum. 
The  gold  of  Australia  and  California  are  destined  to  cause 
the  rate  of  interest  to  fall.  Besides,  the  holders  of  Spanish 
bonds  bearing  5  OfO  interest,  are  subjected  to  a  loss  varying 
from  30  to  40  per  cent,  when  they  wish  to  realize,  because  the 
interest  is  not  punctually  paid,  and  they  have  occasion  to  fear 
the  loss  of  a  portion  of  the  capital.  Lenders  are  naturally 
inclined  to  be  uneasy,  and  these  would  willingly  exchange 
the  Spanish  bonds  for  American  securities  bearing  3  0[0 
interest.  Now,  admitting  that  the  revenues  derived  from  the 
Island  of  Cuba  should  yield  annually  but  four  millions  of 
dollars  to  the  United  Slates,  we  would  fall  short  but  a  few 
nlilliohs  of  dollars  each  year.  But  the  revenues  from  Cuba, 
regularly  increasing,  as  they  do  in  the  United  -States,  this 
dtefich  would  soon  be  filled  up.  I  have  seen  the  lime  when 
the  State  of  Louisiana  had  but  50,000  dollars  of  revenue;  now, 
it  lias  nearly  $1/300.000.  New  Orleans,  forty  years  ago*  had 
but  830.000  revenue  ;  it  has  now  more  than  a  million.  We 
arc  a  people  of  giants,  we  must  go  onward.  The  millions 
we  might  have  to  pay  to  Spain  for  the  Island  of  Cuba  will  be 
much  lighter  to  the  United  States  in  fifty  years,  than  fifty  mil- 
lions Would  be.  if  payable  now.  Our  resources,  our  credit, 
our  commerce,  our  institutions  are  perpetual,  and  the  com- 
prornise  laws  have  dissipated  forever  the  fears  of  disunion. 
Besides,  among  an  enlightened  people,  their  real  interests 
will  always  prevail.  The  Northern  States  are  engaged  in 
manu&cinres  ;  they  possess  a  great  amount  of  capital,  and, 
they  oirfl,  besides,  three  fourths  of  our  merchant  ships  ,*  the 
Southern  States  are  agricultural:  the  North  and  the  South  are 
therefore  bound  together  by  indissoluble  ties  of  in  tercet 


—  45  — 

These  interest*,  which  require  the  maintenance  of  the  Union 
will  surely  increase,  HO  .soon  as  a  rail-road  will  have  facilitated 
communications  with  the  Pacific  Ocean.  Asia  will  soon  open 
its  gates  to  us  ;  China  is  undergoing  a  revolution ;  and  in  the 
present  age,  revolutions  are  made  in  the  name  of  liberty,  com- 
merce, and  substantial  interests. 

One  of  the  principal  reasons  which  should  induce  us  to  of- 
fer to  Spain  a  valuable  consideration  for  the  Island  of  Cuba, 
is  to  show  to  the  world  that  the  cabinet  of  Washington  is  by 
no  means  disposed  to  connive  in  the  expeditions  of  adven- 
turers against  that  colony.  We  should  preserve  to  our  govern- 
ment its  character  for  morality,  and  banish  from  our  policy 
all  machiavelian  principles.  Probity  in  governments  is  as 
laudable,  as  it  is  in  individuals  ;  it  is  a  balm  which  sustains 
the  heart,  and  vivifies  the  soul. 

It  must  be  supposed  that  the  late  events  that  have  occurred 
in  Cuba,  have  aroused  the  nationality,  and  the  indomitable 
pride  that  characterize  the  Spaniards.  The  moment  there- 
fore is  not  perhaps  opportune,  to  enter  into  negotiations  re- 
lative to  the  acquisition  of  the  island.  Time  must  be  allowed, 
for  Spanish  resentments  to  be  allayed,  and  the  cabinet  of  Ma- 
drid will  be  brought  to  understand  that  a  considerable  amount 
to  be  paid  in  money,  and  bearing  30(0  interest  per  annum, 
would  be  far  preferable,  under  all  the  circumstances,  to  the 
possession  of  the  Island  of  Cuba,  which  now  yields  to  Spain 
scarcely  two  millions  of  dollars  per  annum,  after  paying  tho 
expenses  of  administration. 

A  favorable  circumstance  is  about  to  present  itself,  whrch 
the  cabinet  of  Madrid  will  doubtless  appreciate.  England 
ever  ready  to  take  advantage  of  the  passions,  the  weak- 
ness, or  the  embarrassments  of  other  governments  ;  in  order  to 
subserve  her  own  selfish  and  machiavelian  policy,  wishes 
to  annul  the  Island  of  Cuba,  by  africanizing  it,  by  means  of 
the  importation  of  blacks  from  Africa,  called  apprentices.  The 
men  of  that  color  entertain  a  natural .  aversion  towards  th6 
Whites,  who  for  ages  back  have  reduced  them  to  a  condition 
of  ulavefy.  Should  a  revolution  break  out  in  that  colony,  ive 
would  probably  witness  the  rise  of  such  men  a*  Tcmsrsaint- 


—  46  — 

Louverture,  Dessalines,  or,  atalater  period,  of  a  Soulouque  ; — 
the  whites  would  be  massacred  as  they  were  in  the  French 
portion  of  St.  Domingo.  Can  Spain  lend  herself  to  such 
schemes?  I  say  no,  emphatically  no!  The  commerce  of  ihe 
Peninsula  is  involved  for  millions  with  Cuba,  and  Spaniards 
are  in  possession  of  vast  estates  there.  The  lives,  as  well  as 
the  property  of  both  Creoles  and  Spaniards,  would  be  placed 
in  jeopardy,  by  the  nefarious  machinations  of  Great  Britain. 

Having  to  decide  between  the  selfish  views  of  England, 
which  would  cause  the  Island  of  Cuba  to  be  lost  forever  to 
civilization,  arid  the  policy  of  the  United  States,  which  at  the 
same  time  that  it  affords  protection  to  the  inhabitants  of  that 
colony,  tenders  a  large  consideration  for  its  acquisition,  the 
cabinet  of  Madrid,  for  the  sake,  of  its  own  interests  as  well  as 
those  of  its  Spanish  subjects,  is  bound  to  arrive  at  rational 
conclusions.  It  must  doubtless  reflect  that  the  time  is  about  to 
come  when  old  Europe  must  renounce  the  possession  of  Ame- 
rican territories.  From  the  confines  of  Canada,  to  the  straits 
of  Magellan,  the  nations  have  become  independent  of  European 
1  control,  and  they  enjoy  representative  governments,  with  the 
exception  however  of  the  Guianas,  which  are  too  weak  to 
maintain  their  independence. 

The  immense  region  of  Canada  yet  forms  a  part  of  the 
British  dominions.  In  1764,  when  France  ceded  that  territory 
to  England,  its  population  consisted  of  about  60,000  souls;  and 
the  re  remained  in  the  Peninsula  of  Acadia,  but  a  few  thousand 
inhabitants;  for  a  great  number,  in  violation  of  human  and 
divine  laws,  had  been  ignominiously  driven  away  by  the  Bri- 
tish government,  because  they  refused  the  oath  of  allegiance  to 
the  British  crown,  which  would  have  required  of  them  imme- 
diately after  the  oath  to  take  up  arms  against  their  countrymen 
the  Canadians. 

The  Acadians,  like  the  Canadians,  are  of  Norrnan  origin, 
with  the  exception  of  those  from  Britanny.  It  is  easy  to  dis- 
tinguish the  two  original  types,  among  those  of  the  Acadian 
and  Canadian  races  who  are  to  be  found  in  Louisiana.  The 
Normans  in  general  are  above  the  middle  stature  ;  they  have 
blue  eyes,  with  light  and  flat  hair;  the  Britains  are  of  lower 


47  — 

stature,  with  dark  hair,  small  eyes,  and  very  black  eye  balls. 
The  Landry's  for  instance,  whose  clan  13  so  numerous,  the 
Heberts  the  Moutons,  the  Theriots,  the  Tbibodeaux,  and 
many  others  in  Louisiana  that  might  be  cited,  are  of  Norman 
descent.  Any  one  who  has  travelled  over  Normandy  must  be 
satisfied  of  this  fact.  Whilst  the  Broussards,  on  the  other  hand, 
who  overrun  the  prairies  of  Attakapas,  like  the  grass  hoppers 
that  occupy  the  deserts  of  Africa,  claim  their  descent  from 
Britany.  Their  eyes,  their  hair,  their  shape,  indicate  it  suffi- 
ciently. From  those  two  races,  no  true  British  colonial  sub- 
jects can  issue.  Out  of  the  1,400,000  souls  that  form  the  popu- 
lation of  Canada,  at  least  one  million  may  be  counted  as 
descending  from  the  Norman  or  Britain  races. 

The  British  government  has  understood  the  character  of 
these  descendants  of  the  proud  Normans  and  the  Britains  ;  it 
has  conceived  the  necessity  of  granting  them  rights  and  fran- 
chises— such  as  the  liberty  of  the  press,  the  trial  by  jury,  the 
habeas  corpus,  aod  a  parliament.  Besides,,  their  property  is 
exempted  fcom.taxation  in  favor  of  the  British  government.  If 
Great  Britain,  deviating  from  her  usual  colonial  policy,  has 
made  all  these  concessions  in  Canada,  it  must  be  assuredly 
from  fear  of. the  spirit  of  the  Canadiaas  and.  Acadians.  The 
time  is  not  far  dislant,  when  this  noble  people,  renowned  for 
the  valor  which  it  displayed  in  the  wars  from  1754  to  1759,  as 
well  as  in  the  war  of  1812  against  the  Americans,  will  pro- 
claim its  independence  and  organize  as  a  nation*,  At  the  lime 
of  the  insurrection  which  broke  out  in  Canada  in  1835,  to  be 
suppressed  in  1837,  martial  law  was  decreed,  and  lord  Harem 
launched  forth  the  regular  troops  against  the  revolutionists. 
Thirteen-  respectable  citizens  were  condemned  to  be  hung, 
and  many  others  to  exile.  Among  the  latter  was  Papineau. 
Those  condemned  to  death,  asked  to  be  shot;  but  lord  Harem 
rejected  their  application*.  The  chevalier  de  Loriniere,a  scion 
of  an  ancient  family,  established  in  Canada  for  more  than  two 
centuries,  was  among  the  victims.  In  1839,  I  happened  to 
meet,  at  the  house  of  our  Minister  General  Cass,  in  Paris,  se- 
veral well  informed  Canadians,  who  had  been  banished  from 
Canada,  on  account  of  their  political  opinions.  In  answer  to 


some  remarks  which  I  made  to  them  as  to  the  movement  of 
1835  in  Canada,  these  exiles  tdd  me  that  they  desired  neither 
to  remain  subject  to  England,  nor  to  form  a  part  of  the  Ame- 
rican  confederacy  ;  that  they  had  the  sentiment  of  their  strenght, 
and  that  iheir  population  being  constantly  on  the  increase, 
they  hoped  that  iheir  immense  territory  would  be  occupied  at 
some  future  day  by  a  great  nation,  in  whose  bosom  emigra- 
tion from  old  Europe  would  seek  a  refuge. 

Being  myself  of  Norman  descentj  and  my  ancestor,  before 
coming  to  Louisiana  with.  d'Hiberville,  in  1699,  having  served 
in  the  army  of  Canada,  I  confess  that  I  was  happy  and  proud 
to  hear  such  language  from  these  scions  of  ancient  Normandy, 
of  those  conquerors  of  England,  who  produced  renowned 
Knights  for  the  Crusades,  illustrious  Generals  for  the  ancient 
monarchy,  as  well  as  for  the  Republic  and  the  empire,  and 
who  conquered  Canada  arid  the  Louisiana^. 

The  independence  of  Canada  will  occasion  the  loss  to  En- 
gland of  all  the  territories  possessed  by  that  power  in  North 
America,  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific  Ocean.  They  are 
almost  equal  in  superficial  extent  to  one  third  of  the  United 
States.  I  must  mention  here  a  fact  which  illustrates  the  cha- 
racter of  the  Norman  race.  From  17.93  to  1795,  whilst  the 
Committee  of  Public  Safety  were  creeling  guillotines  in  th<% 
whole  of  France,  except  in  Normandy,  Fouquier  Tainville,  the 
public  prosecutor,  communicated  to  Robespierre  his  intention 
of  erecting  the  (scaffold  at  St.  Germain,  a  city  situated  at  a 
distance  of  five  leagues  from  Paris,  on  the  line  where  Norman-- 
dy  commences — ^beware  of  &o  doing.^  exclaimed  Hobespier.re, 
"the  Normans  mast  not  be  touched."  ,  : 

Can  it  be  believed  now,  that  these  men,  proud  of  their  ori- 
gin, glorying  in  the  valor  of  their  ancestors,  are  destined  to, 
remain  subjects  of  England?  No — assuredly  notl  >Viiea  Ca- 
nada will  have  become  independent,  and  it  must  be  so'ere  long, 
what  will  remain  to  old  Europe  on  the  American  continent  ? 
the  Guianas,  (for  the  empire  of  Brasil  is  independent  of  Por- 
tugal); in  the  West  Indies,  St.  Domingo  aud  Jamaica  are 
lost  to  the  white  race  ;  in  the  French  Isles,  the  emancipation 
and  equality  of  the  blacks  have  been  for  some  time  proclaim- 


—  49  — 

ed,  as  well  as  in  the  adjacent  Islands,  through  the  influence  of 
British  policy.  In  all  these  islands,  the  white  race  is  no  longer 
secure,  and  is  compelled  gradually  to  abandon  them. 

Cuba  and  Porto-Rico  alone  therefore,  still  offer  a  foothold 
to  the  white  race.  Is  it  probable  that  the  cabinet  of  Madrid,- 
by  examining  the  past,  and  reflecting  upon  a  future  so  easily 
foreseen,  will  not  at  last  acknowledge  that  it  is  the  true  inte- 
rest of  Spain  to  transfer  Cuba  for  an  equivalent  sum  of  money? 
Menaced  as  that  island  is,  not  only  by  the  example  of  Jamaica 
in  the  South,  of  St.  Domingo  in  the  East,  and  in  the  North  by 
the  adventurers,  who  in  despite  of  the  laws  and  governemnt  of 
Washington,  are  likely  to  be  tempted  again  to  invade  it,  but 
endangered  also  as  she  is  by  England,  the  worst  enemy  of 
Spain  in  the  Cuban  question;  since  she  desires  by  africanising 
Cuba,  to  withhold  it  from  all  civilized  nations,  and  to  expose 
its  inhabitants  to  be  slaughtered  by  the  negroes.  Yes,  un- 
doubtedly, the  cabinet  of  Madrid  will  understand  how  delicate 
is  the  present  position  of  Spain  in  regard  to  the  Island  of 
Cuba.  But  we  must  temporize  ;  we  must  deal  gently  with 
castillan  pride  and  nationality ;  above  all,  this  important  ques-- 
tion  should  be  argued  with  the  best  informed,  and  most  in- 
fluential men  of  Spain.  In  short,  let  us  follow  the  wise  course 
adopted  by  Benjamin  Franklin  in  Paris,  at  the  time  of  the  war 
of  Independence,  and  it  is  probable  that  Spain,  guided  by  her 
true  interest  will  finally  determine  to  sell  Cuba  to  the  United 
States. 


THIRD  PART. 


ON    THE    CHARGES    MADE      BY     THE     GREAT     POWERS     OF   EUROPE 

AGAINST  THE  GOVERNMENT  OF  WASHINGTON,    IN    REGARD 

TO    ITS    TERRITORIAL  AGGRANDIZEMENTS. 

In  order  to  shew  the  little  foundation  for  the  accusation 
brought  by  the  great  European  powers  against  the  government 
of  Washington,  whom  they  charge  with  immoderate  ambition, 
it  becomes  necessary  not  only  to  make  a  comparative  state- 
ment of  the  aggrandizements  of  Russia,  of  England,  and  of 
France,  with  those  of  the  United  States,  by  taking  the  year 
1764  as  the  point  of  departure, — but  also  to  expose  the  means 
adopted  both  by  the  accusers  and  the  accused,  to  attain  the  ex- 
tension of  their  respective  territories. 

Russia,  according  to  Pierre  Charles  L6veque,  a  member  of 
the  French  Institute,  who  wrote  the  history  of  that  vast  empire 
and  of  its  government,  contained,  in  1764,  nineteen  millions  o 
inhabitants. 

Before  dwelling  more  at  length  upon  this  subject,  it  is  pro- 
per to  sketch  the  character  of  the  house  of  Romanof,  beginning 
with  Peter  the  1st,  called  the  Great.  It  would  seem  that  nature 
exhausted  herself,  when  she  produced  this  great  rnan  ;  for, 
from  the  time  of  his  death  until  the  advent  of  Nicholas  the  1st, 
we  are  amazed  at  the  moral  weakness,  or  the  vices  of  that  fa- 
mily. Alexis,  son  of  Peter  the  1st,  was  acknowledged  as  un- 
worthy the  throne  by  his  own  father,  as  well  as  by  the  grandies 
of  the  empire.  He  was  a  man  abandonned  to  debauchery. 
Peter  the  1st,  having  greatly  promoted  "civilization,  commerce 
and  the  arts  of  navigation  and  of  war,  among  the  Russians, 


—  52  — 

and  fearing  that  his  son  would  cause  the  nation  to  retrograde, 
caused  him  to  be  put  to  death:  a  great  example  of  patriotism 
rather  than  of  cruelty  !  Peter  the  1st  died  in  1725.  Catherine, 
who  was  originally  but  an  uneducated  peasant  girl,  and  whom 
he  had  married  on  account  of  her  beauly  and  good  sense,  Avas 
proclaimed  Empress.  During  her  reign  which  lasted  two 
years,  her  wisdom  and  beuuvolence  obtained  universal  appro- 
bation. Catherine  was  not  of  Ihe  house  of  Romanof. 

In  1727,  Peter  the  2d,  of  the  Romanof  family,  was  called  to 
the  throne.  This  sovereign  at  first  fell  under  the  influence  of 
Mruchikoif,  and  subsequently  under  that  of  the  Dulgorouki 
The  commencement  of  his  reign  was  marked  by  cruelties 
committed  under  the  orders  of  Menchikoff.  The  disordered 
passions  of  Peter  the  2d,  his  debaucheries  and  his  love  of  alco- 
holic liquors,  brought  him  to  his  death  in  1730. 

Anne,  of  the 'house  of  Romanof,  asceaded  the  tbfcone  in  1730. 
During  her  reign,  she  Avas  entirely  guided  by  Bireune,  a 
man  of  great  cruelty  and  avarice,  who  committed  great  crimes 
in  the  name  of  this  Empress.  He  caused  to  be  put  to  death 
on  the  scaffold  a  number  of  respectable  men  in  the  nation,  and 
banished  many  others  to  Siberia.  Atm-e . terminated  her  carn-r 
in  1740.  Ivan  the  6th,  of  the  Romanofs,  site-ceded  her.  Ho 
was  at  first  governed  by  the  duke  of  Courland,  and  afterwards 
gavo  hi  roaelf  up  to  revelry.  Ivan  was  dethroned  in  J  741,  after 
a,  reign  of  a  year. 

Elizabeth,  of  the  house  of  Romanof,  was  next  acknowledged 
as  Empress.  Although  her  amorous  propensities  brought  her 
into  disrepute  in  the  eyes  of  her  subjects,  as  well  as  in  those  of 
Europe,  her  reign,  was  not  altogether  devoid  of  glory.  None 
of  her  lovers  (froiu  the  grandee  to  the  Calmouk)  was  enabled 
to  govern,  her.  Addicted  at  first  to  dissipation  and  amorous, 
intrigues,  she  fell  into  bigotry  at  a  later  period.  Having  be- 
.come  gloomy  and  superstitious,  Elizabeth  yielded  to  the  grave 
W  1762. 

Peter  the  3d,  of  the  Romanofs,  was  next  proclaimed  Em- 
peror. His  reign  lasted  about  a  year  only.  This  prince,  who 
was  dissipated  and,  incapable,  after  having  been  thrown  into 
prison,  was  subsequently  assassinated  at  the  instigation  of 


-53- 

Alexis  OrlofT.  In  order  to  keep  secret  the  circumstances  of 
his  death,  the  report  was  spread  that  he  had  succombed  to  an 
apoplectic  fit.  Peter  the  3d  met  with  much  difficulty  in  ob- 
taining a  wife  of  Royal  blood,  and  was  reduced  to  marry  the 
daughter  of  a  petty  Russian  Prince  of  the  town  of  Slettem 
who  was  governor  of  that  place  under  the  authority  of  the  king 
of  Prussia,  Frederic  the  2J.  Sophia  Augusta  was  born  on  the 
2d  May,  1729.  She  was  proclaimed  Empress  in  1762,  and 
assumedthe  name  of  Catherine  the  2d,  which  she  was  destined 
to  render  illustrious.  It  is  therefore  apparent  that  Catherine 
was  not  of  the  house  of  Romanof.  This  Princess,  endowed 
with  a  solid  and  brilliant  education,  had  deeply  studied  the 
different  European  governments;  she  was  well  versed  in 
French  literature,  as  well  as  in  the  histdVy  of  the  great  kings 
and  queens  who  had  reigned  during  several  centuries  past,  to 
wit:  Elizabeth  of  England,  Philip  the  2d  of  Spain,  Louis  the 
14th,  Cromwell,  under  the  title  of  Protector,  Maria  Theresa 
of  Austria,  and  Frederic  the  2d  of  Prussia,  under  the  name  of 
the  Great  Frederic.  Catherine  was  rather  handsome  than 
pretty,  she  was  of  a  graceful  figure,  and  above  the  middle  sta- 
ture. She  rode  on  horseback  admirably  well,  and  often  re- 
viewed in  person  her  guards  and  her  army.  This  Princess  was 
well  fitted  to  develop  the  immense  resources  of  the  great  em- 
pire founded  by  Peter  the  1st.  surnamed  the  Great,  and  she  had 
studied  the  maxims  of  that  great  monarch.  She  established 
military  schools,  and  reorganized  the  naval  school  created  by 
Elizabeth.  She  also  founded  colleges  and  universities,  and 
fostered  manufactures  and  general  industry,  by  wise  laws. 
She  also  made  advantageous  treaties  with  all  the  civilized  na- 
tions of  Europe,  and  despatched  envoys  to  China  and  Persia. 
Tliis  woman,  taking  her  part  with  unparallelled  activity  in 
public  affairs,  never  relied  upon  her  ministers;  for  she  wished 
to  convince  Europe  that  she  alone  governed  Russia.  Ca- 
therine however  was  fond  of  pomp  and  pleasures,  and  chas- 
tity was  not  her  distinguishing  virtue;  her  first  lover  was 
Gregoire  Orloff;  but  in  order  that  he  should  deserve- her  favors, , 
she  required  that  lie  should  render  himself  useful  to  Russia  by 
important  services.  Orlofl'  became  distinguished  particularly 


-  54  - 

in  the  armies,  and  was  promoted  to  the  grade  of  commander 
in  chief  of  the  artillery. 

Catherine  invited  into  the  service  of  Russia  distinguished 
military  men  from  other  nations,  and  adopted  liberal  measures 
for  the  protection  of  strangers  who  might  be  induced  to 
established  themselves  within  her  dominions.  Accordingly, 
manufacturers  and  artisans  of  every  description  were  attracted 
hither  under  the  pledge  of  her  protection;  a  great  philosopher,  a 
learned  man  and  a  distinguished  writer,  remarkable  also  for 
his  moral  character,  (Laharpe)  was  entrusted  by  her  with  the 
education  of  her  grand  sons,  and  particularly  with  that  of 
Alexander,  who  was  destined  to  be  the  heir  to  her  empire. 

Immediately  after  ascending  the  throne,  Catherine  conceived 
great  projects  against  Turkey.  The  only  harbours  that  Rus- 
sia then  possessed  were  on  the  Baltic,  whose  navigation  was 
interrupted  or  trammelled  by  the  ice  during  six  months  in  the 
year  at  least.  In  order  to  secure  for  the  products  of  her  domi- 
nions a  great  outlet  to  the  Archipelago  of  Greece,  to  Egypt  and 
to  Asia,  the  possession  of  harbors  on  the  Black  sea  and  the  sea 
of  Azof  was  necessary  to  Russia.  In  order  therefore  to  attract 
the  attention  of  the  Russians  towards  those  favoured  regions, 
Catherine  bestowed  the  name  of  Constantino  upon  the  second 
child  of  her  son  Paul.  Europe  was  amazed  at  the  genius  dis- 
played by  this  woman  in  the  affairs  of  her  government  ;  and 
all  statesmen  were  watching  with  interest  the  developments  of 
her  policy. 

The  reader  will  please  to  indulge  me,  in  a  digression  which 
I  have  occasion  here  to  make. 

Among  the  officers  in  the  service  of  Russia,  there  was  one 
at  the  time  by  the  name  of  Potemkin.  Bold  and  gay,  this  offi- 
cer passed  for  one  of  the  handsomest  men  in  the  army.  Not 
actuated  by  vanity,  but  influenced  by  a  passion  which  love 
alone  can  nourish,  Potemkin  was  so  much  captivated  by  the 
charms  of  Catherine,  that  he  lost  his  senses.  When  he  could 
not  see  his  Sovereign,  he  stood  in  ecstacies  before  her  portrait. 
He  kissed  the  ground  that  her  feet  had  trodden,  and  passed 
his  nights  in  the  open  air,  in  order  to  contemplate  by  the  light 
of  the  lamps  the  apparlment  occupied  by  the  object  of  his 


—  55  — 

adoration.  But  Catherine,  enamoured  of  the  jealous  Gregoire 
Orlof,  pitied  the  new  pretender,  without  giving  him  any  hopes 
of  a  reciprocal  sentiment. 

War  had  just  broken  out ;  the  Cosacks,  the  Calmoucks,  the 
Tartars,  who  had  often  beaten  the  Russians  before  the  reign 
of  Peter  the  Great,  had  crossed  the  frontiers  of  Russia,  and  re- 
newed their  depredations.  Those -savage  hords,  numbering 
more  than,  ten  millions  of  souls,  occupied  a  region  extending 
to  the  base  of  the  Caucasian  mountains.  The  Russian  army  was 
put  in  motion  to  repel  them.  Potemkin,  then  a  Colonel  of  Caval- 
ry, left  St.  Petersburg,  in  the  hopes  of  meeting  with  a  glorious 
death,  to  put  an  end  to  his  misery.  The  commander  of  the 
Russian,  army  entrusted  Potemkin  with  the  command  of  a 
brigade  of  cavalry,  at  the  head  of  which  he  charged  the  barba- 
rians. Brave  and.  expert  in  the  management  of  the  lance,  he 
cried  out  the  name  of  Catherine  as  he  fought,  and  was  invin- 
cible. .  The  opposing  hosts  were  swept  away  before  this  head- 
long knight,  whom  lead  and  steel  could  not  reach.  The  reports 
of  the  General  in  chief  to  the  cabinet  of  St.  Petersburg  men- 
tioned .the  successes  of  Potemkin,  and  the.  exploits  which  he 
atchieved  under  the  influence  of  his  passion  for  his  Sovereign. 

After  some  years  of  w-arfare,  all  those  barbarian  tribes  having 
submitted,  recognized  Catherine  as  their  Sovereign,  and  paid 
a  tribute  to  Russia.  The  vast  regions  occupied  by  these  Bar- 
barians were  covered  with  immense  herds,  of  large  broad  tailed 
sheep.  Their  horned  cattle  were  also  innumerable,  and  were 
destined  to  supply  the  Russian  leather,  which  is  in  such  high 
repute,  and  which  has  become  a  great  article  of  commerce. 

Potemkin,  on  his  return  to  St.  Petersburg,  became  an  object 
of  admiration  for  the  Russian  women,  who  are  generally  hand- 
some, amorous,  and  sometimes  fickle.  As  the  reward  of  his 
atchievements,  Potemkin  was  presented  to  Catherine.  The 
emotion  of  the  Knight  cannot  be  described  I  scarcely  was  he 
ushered  into  the  presence  of  his  Sovereign,  when  he  became 
timid  and  disconcerted  ;  in  lieu  of  a  respectful  inclination,  he 
fell  at  her  feet,  and  wept  profusely.  The  great  Catherine  was 
moved  ;  her  heart  had  yielded,  and  the  long  tried  fidelity,  the 
true  love  of  Potemkin  triumphed  at  last.  But  the  Knight  lost 


—  56  — 

nothing  of  his  restless  spirit,  and  of  his  ardor  for  war.  After 
having  extended  her  conquests  as  far  as  the  Caucasus;  after 
having  inured  her  army  lo  the  hardships  of  war,  Catherine 
determined  to  wage  the  war  against  the  Turks.  She  was  in 
need  of  territories  towards  the  South  of  Europe.  It  was  for 
the  second  time,  that  the  children  of  Mahomet,  the  proud  Mus- 
sulmen,  the  devotees  of  the  crescent,  Avere  about  to  encounter 
in  battle  the  hosts  of  Russia.  For  at  the  period  of  their  splen- 
dor, \vhen  they  claimed  to  rule  Europe,  and  to  subdue  Chris- 
tianity, the  Mussulmen  little  thought  of  Russia,  a  rough  and 
icy  region,  Avhose  temperature  AVQS  so  different  from  that  of 
the  mild  latitudes  they  inhabited. 

Five  hundred  thousand  Turks  Avere  brought  under  arms  to 
meet  the  armies  of  Russia.  The  Mussulmen  were  proud  of  their 
former  greatness,  and  of  their  atchievements  in  AArar.  They 
remembered  that,  for  eight  centuries,  they  had  been  masters  of 
two  thirds  of  Spain  ;  that  from  victory  to  victory,  they  had 
led  their  hosts  to  Avithin  thirty  leagues  of  Paris,  in  the  time  of 
Charles  Martel,  and  that  Soliman  the  Magnificent  had  planted 
the  standards  of  the  crescent  before  the  walls  of  Vienna.  Dis- 
cipline had  made  no  progress  up  to  this  time  in  the  Turkish 
army,  and  Avas  especially  deficient  in  the  field  artillery;  Avhilst 
the  Russian  troops  Avhom  they  had  to  meel,  had  Avaged  Avar 
Avith  success  under  the  reign  of  the  empress  Elizabeth,  against 
the  Prussian  armies. 

Catherine  determined  lo  shew  to  her  subjects,  that  Avith  her, 
devotion  to  country  and  love  of  glory  Avere  abo\Te  the  common 
foibles  of  her  sex.  She  sacrified  her  most  tender  affections, 
and  addressed  the  following  patriotic  letter  to  Potemkin,  ac- 
companied by  a  sAvord  bedecked  Avith  diamonds  :  "  I  entrust 
you  Avith  the  command  of  the  noblest  and  the  most  numerous 
army  that  Russia  ever  set  on  foot  ;  go,  and  serve  your  coun- 
try— Go,  acquire  glory,  and  be  Avorthy  of  my  affection.  When 
my  mind  Avill  not  be  engaged  in  the  cares  of  my  empire,  my 
thoughts  and  my  tears,  Potemkin,  will  all  be  for  you  !" 

It  Ava«s  therefore  at  the  head  of  300,000  soldiers  that  the 
Knight  invaded  the  Turkish  territories.  This  Avar  Avas  a  gi- 
gantic struggle.  SuAvaroff,  one  of  Potemkin's  principal  lieu- 


—  57  — 

tenants,  distinguished  himself  equally  by  his  valor  and  indefa- 
tigable activity.  Together  with  great  military  renown,  he  ac- 
quired the  affections  of  the  Russian  soldiery  almost  to  idolatry. 
This  truly  extraordinary  man  shared  in  all  respects  the  life  of 
the  soldier  ;  he  slept  upon  the  straw,  eat  of  horse  flesh,  and 
preferred  the  most  common  drinks  to  the  most  luscious.  Suwa- 
roff, nevertheless,  had  received  a  good  education.  Louis  the 
18th,  King  of  France,  who  had  known  him,  says  that  Suwaroff 
had  good  manners;  and  was  endowed  with  wit  a4id  an  agree- 
able conversation. 

It  \vas  the  lot  of  this  austere  chieftain  to  terminate  the  war- 
by  an  unparalleled  exploit.  Ismael,  the  most  strongly  fortified 
position  in  Turkey,  was  considered  as  impregnable.  During 
the  war,  the  Turks  had  still  more  strengthened  its  fortifica- 
tions. Surrounded  by  ditches  unusually  deep  and  broad,  this 
stronghold  was  defended  besides  by  a  formidable  artillery. 
The  Turks  expected  here  a  regular  siege,  such  as  had  been 
previously  laid  before  several  fortresses  that  had  surrendered. 
But  time  was  precious,  and  things  had  to  be  brought  hastily 
to  a  close.  Provisions  had  become  more  and  more  scanty,  in 
the  Russian  army,  and  could  scarcely  be  procured  at  all ;  for 
the  fields  had  been  devastated,  the  towns  and  villages  burnt. 
It  was  a  war  of  extermination  between  the  contending  ar- 
mies, one  of  which  was  composed  of  sanguinary  barbarians, 
and  the  other,  the  Russian  army,  of  men  who  had  barely 
emerged  from  barbarism,  since  the  death  of  Peter  the  Great. 
(1727). 

The  fierce  Suwaroff  made  preparations  16  take  Ismael  by 
storm  ;  but  before  commencing  the  attack,  he  gave  notice  to 
the  Turkish  commander,  that  if  he  was  compelled  to  this  ex- 
tremity, he  would  cause  the  whole  garison  of  Ismael  to  be 
put  to  the  sword.  But  the  Turk  made  light  of  these  threats  ; 
he  calculated  upon  a  regular  siege,  which  even  if  successful, 
was  bound  to  last,  as  he  thought,  at  least  sixty  days.  Suwa- 
roff then  resolved  to  take  Ismael  within  three  days.  He  made 
an  attack  upon  the  fortress  ;  but  his  army  was  horribly  man- 
gled by  the  artillery  of  the  enemy.  On  the  second  day,  his 
losses  were  again  fearful;  more  than  20,000  men  had  been 


—  58  — 

shot  down.  The  fire  of  his  veterans  could  not  reach  the 
Turks.  During  the  night  preceding  the  third  clay,  forty  thou- 
sand men  were  employed  in  gathering  up  the  dead  and 
the  wounded  to  fill  up  a  portion  of  the  ditches  of  Ismael. 
What  a  horrid  spectacle  the  third  day  presented !  more  than 
fifteen  thousand  corpses  piled  up  at  the  feet  of  Ismael,  and  the 
Russian  army,  with  bayonets  pointed  and  Suwaroff  at  it.s 
head,  using  them  as  a  bridge  of  human  flesh,  to  cross  the 
ditches  that  protected  the  fortress !  Ismael  fell  into  the  hands 
of  Suwaroff,  and  35,000  men,  officers  and  soldiers,  were  put 
to  the  sword.  The  remainder  of  the  Turkish  army,  from 
this  moment,  were  stricken  with  terror,  and  peace  between 
Russia  and  Turkey  was  concluded  on  the  9th  January  1792. 
This  war  lasted  from  1787  to  the  end  of  1791. 

Assured  that  the  capture  of  Ismael  would  put  an  end  to  the 
war,  Potemkin  confided  his  command  to  prince  Reppin.  He 
was  impatient  to  return  to  Catherine;  but  in  the  long  journey 
from  Ismael  to  Moscow,  the  chieftain  succombed  under  a 
violent  fever,  at  about  a  hundred  leagues  from  that  metro- 
polis. 

Russia,  by  the  treaty  of  Diassy,  on  the  9th  January,  1792, 
acquired  Otchakof,  and  the  whole  country  between  the  Bog 
and  the  Dniester.  She  obtained  possession  also  of  the  mouth 
of  a  great  river  on  the  Black  Sea,  and  an  easy  access  to  the  Ot- 
toman territories  (see  history  of  Russia  by  Charles  L&veque), 

Catherine's  ambition  should  have  been  satiated;  but  it  did 
not  suffice  her  to  have  extended  her  domination  to  the  foot  of 
the  Caucasus,  and  to  have  considerably  aggrandized  her  ter- 
ritories towards  Turkey.  At  that  period,  the  Cosacks  of  Si- 
beria had  crossed  Bearing's  straits,  and  had  taken  possession, 
in  the  name  of  Russia,  of  all  that  portion  of  North  America, 
extending  from  the  British  boundaries  to  the  North  Pole 
(about  one  fifth  of  the  United  States  in  superficial  extent).  In 
these  icy  regions,  the  climate  is  about  the  same  as  in  Siberia. 
Before  fifty  years,  the  Cosacks  will  occupy  a  great  portion 
of  those  remote  territories.  They  will  procure  there,  as  in  Si- 
beria, great  quantities  of  furs  of  the  beaver,  otter,  sable,  &c., 
which  are  held  in  such  estimation  by  the  people  of  Asia  and 


—  59  — 

Europe.  This  region  must  be  favorable  to  grain  crops,  to 
wheat  especially  ;  and  it  is  probable  that,  being  separated 
from  Siberia  by  a  narrow  channel,  gold  mines  will  at  a  future 
day  be  found  in  it,  as  in  Siberia,  quite  as?  abundant  as  those 
of  California  and  Australia,  and  more  easily  worked  ;  for  in 
Siberia,  gold  is  gathered  almost  at  the  surface  of  the  earth. 

Catherine,  whose  ambition  was  unbounded,  and  suppported 
by  great  genius,  had  long  meditated  the  enlargement  of  her 
dominions  towards  the  West.  To  this  end,  she  took  advan- 
tage of  the  dissensions  in  the  Polish  nation,  after  having  had 
a  previous  understanding  with  Frederic  the  2d,  of  Prussia, 
and  with  Austria.  The  first  partition  of  Poland  consequently 
took  place  in  1772. 

In  1792,  France  was  involved  in  her  great  revolution.  The 
unfortunate  Louis  the  16th  was  confined  in  the  prison  of  the 
Temple,  Avith  his  wife  and  children.  The  French  princes, 
and  the  nobility  urgently  solicited  the  courts  of  Europe  to 
take  up  arms  against  France,  and  to  save  Louis  the  16th. 
These  sollicitations  were  unheeded  by  Catherine,  who  under- 
stood full  well  that  she  could  not  add  anything  to  her  posses- 
sions from  Germany,  who  had  engaged  in  the  war  against 
France,  and  still  less  from  Italy,  owing  to  the  great  distance 
between  that  country  and  Russia.  Besides,  Catherine  was 
not  satisfied  with  the  first  division  of  Poland  ;  she  desired  a 
larger  share  of  it,  than  that  which  she  had  obtained.  This 
princess,  who  had  conceived  the  annihilation  of  the  Polish  na- 
tion, at  last  carried  into  execution  her  awful  and  daring  pro- 
ject. The  whole  territory  of  Poland  was  therefore  subdivided 
between  Russia,  Prussia  and  Austria  in  1795.  But  Cathe- 
'rine,  on  this  occasion,  took  the  lion's  share  of  the  spoils,  for 
two  thirds  of  that  kingdom  fell  into  the  hands  of  Russia. 

The  great  Catherine  was  preparing  for  a  war  against  Per- 
sia ;  but  the  death  of  Potemkin/  the  object  of  her  dearest  affec- 
tions, distracted  her  mind.  In  the  delirium  of  her  grief,  she 
cried  out  that  she  wished  to  die,  in  order  again  to  behold  Po- 
temkin.  Stricken  by  apoplexy,  she  closed  her  career,  on  the 
9th  November  1776,  at  the  age  of  sixty-seven,  and  after  a  reign 
of  thirty-three  years. 


—  60  — 

Her  ton  succeeded  her  to  the  throne,  under  the  name  of 
Paul  the  1st,  and  ruled  during  four  years.  The  versatility 
of  his  disposition,  the  weakness  of  his  mind,  caused  his  death 
•t>y  assassination.  On  his  death,  his  son,  Alexander  the  1st, 
was  called  to  the  empire.  The  mildness  of  temper  of  this 
prince,  the  success  of  his  arms  when  Russia  was  invaded  by 
'France  in  1813  and  '14,  contributed  to  distinguish  his"  reign. 

Independently  of  the  vast  accessions  of  territory  made  by 
Catherine,  Russia  has  continued  to  enlarge  her  dominions  : 
she  has  taken  possession  of  the  whole  of  Livonia,  of  Finland, 
and  has  extended  her  sway  along  the  Black  Sea,  and  the  Sea 
ef  Azof,  encroaching  also  upon  Persia.  Now,  this  insatiable 
power  is  warring  again  upon  Turkey,  for  quite  another. cause 
assuredly  than  that  which  her  diplomacy  has  proclaimed  to 
the  world.  Her  armies  already  occupy  the  Danubian  pro- 
vinces and  threaten  Constantinople.  Finally,  Russia,  in  1764, 
contained  but  19,000,000  of  Inhabitants,  and  now  numbers 
more  than  75jOOO,000  ! 

In,view  of  this  historical  statement  of  the  aggrandizements 
of  Russia,  and  of  the  means  to  attain  them,  employed  by  her 
successive  rulers;  who  would  not  feel  indignant  to  hear  Ni- 
cholas, the  autocrat,  taxing  the  United  States  with  ambition, 
and  casting  reproach  upon  them  for  their  territorial  aggran- 
dizements? The  population  of  the  Russian  empire,  which  is 
susceptible  of  containing  more  than  300  millions  of  inhabi- 
tants, is  increasing  from  day  to  day,  and  imagination  is  at  a 
loss  in  calculating  its  great  destinies,  and  ihe  influence  which 
it  may  come  to  exercise  upon  Western  Europe.  But  if  the 
writer  turns  his  thoughts  to  1he  past,  his  attention  is  called 
to  the  general  rising  of  the  Spaniards  in  1808.  They  were 
the  first  to  throw  a  cloud  upon  the  star  of  Napoleon,  the  ruler 
-of  all  Europe.  It  may  be  therefore,  that  the  Turks,  better  pre- 
pared for  the  struggle  than  the  Spaniards  were,  will  repel 
the  Muscovite ;  that  their  noble  resistance  will  arouse  the 
Poles  and  the  Hungarians,  and  that  these  long  oppressed  na- 
tions will  achieve  their  independence,  and  save  Europe  from 
the  cruel  fate  which  Russia  may  inflict  upon  it  before  a  half 
century  has  elapsed. 


- 

• 
FOURTH  PART. 

»rfj  ni  v 

. 

We  must  now  speak  of  England,  who,  when  the  question 
of  the  annexation  of  Texas  to  the  United  States  arose,  main- 
tained that  the  ideas  of  aggrandizement  entertained  by  the 
cabinet  of  Washington,  were  unjust  and  dangerous. 

In  1764,  by  the  treaty  of  Fontainbleau,  France  had  ceded  to 
England  Canada  and  all  that  she  possessed  in  North  America, 
with  the  exception  of  the  territories  on  the  right  bank  of  the 
Mississippi.  The  portion  of  Louisiana,  extending  from  the 
Perdido,  four  leagues  from  Pensacola,  and  following  the  Gulf, 
the  lakes  Pontchartrain  and  Maurepas,  and  the  bayou  Man- 
chac  to  the  Mississippi,  was  included  in  this  cession.  Spain, 
on  her  side,  gave  up  Florida,  which  extended  to  the  limits  of 
Georgia. 

After  the  war  of  American  Independence,  England  lost  all 
that  she  possessed  south  of  Canada  and  to  the  left  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi. But  there  remains  to  that  power,  in  North  America, 
the  Canadas,  and  an  immense  territory  extending  west  of 
them  to  the  Pacific,  where  it  is  bounded,  North,  by  the  Russian 
possessions.  She  has  preserved  the  Peninsula  of  Acadia,  the 
Isle  Royal,  the  Bermudas  and  New-Providence  in  the  chan- 
nel of  the  Bahamas,  as  well  as  Jamaica,  which  she  possessed 
previously  to  1764,  and  some  islands  among  the  Carai'bs.  In 
the  beginning  of  the  18th  century,  during  the  reign  of  Philip 
the  5th,  of  Spain,  she  took  from  the  Spanish  crown  Gibraltar, 
the  key  of  the  Mediterranean,  which  she  at  first  pretended  to 
hold  in  trust,  but  which  she  has  permanently  kept.  Australia, 
of  which  she  at  first  possessed  but  a  part,  now  belongs  to  her 
in  whole.  This  island  is  as  large  as  two  thirds  of  Europe. 


—  62  — 

She  has  also  taken  by  force  of  arras  a  large  portion  of  Asia, 
(Hindostan)  where  150  millions  of  inhabitants  bend  the  knee 
to  her  despotism.  She  possesses  the  Islands  of  Ceylon,  and 
St.  Helena,  as  well  as  different  positions  for  her  counting- 
houses  in  Africa,  and  the  isles  in  the  Channel. 

By  the  peace  of  Paris,  in  1814,  Holland  gave  up  to  her  the 
Cape  of  Good  Hope;  and  France  ceded  the  Isle  of  France.  By 
the  same  treaty,  she  acquired  the  Ionian  Islands,  including 
Corfu.  Her  possession  of  Malta,  as  well  as  of  Trinity  in  the 
Caraib  Islands,  was  confirmed  by  the  treaty  of  Amiens  in 
1802.  In  1814,  France  also  ceded  to  her  St.  Lucia  and  Do- 
minica. England  possesses  nearly  all  the  maritime  positions 
that  are  not  within  the  continental  limits  of  Europe,  of  South 
America,  or  of  the  United  States  of  America  ;  she  has  her  ar- 
senals every  where.  By  calling  into  service  her  transatlantic 
steamers,  and  arming  them  for  war,  her  naval  armament  could 
number  more  ships,  than  those  of  all  the  other  powers  of  the 
world  combined.  England  has  extended  her  dominions  al- 
most invariably  with  the  sword  in  one  hand,  and  often  with 
the  torch  in  the  other.  The  colonial  system  of  England  is  un- 
just and  sometimes  cruel. 

Does  it  come  with  good  grace  from  this  power,  I  ask,  to 
find  fault  with  the  territorial  aggrandizements  of  the  United 
States  ? 


I   . 


FIFTH   PART. 

• 
FRANCE. 


This  power,  in  1809,  had  annexed  to  her  territory  upper 
Italy,  as  far  as  the  Julian  Alps,  Ancient  Venice,  Rome  and 
her  dependencies,  Belgium,  Savoy  and  Piedmont;  her  in- 
fluence extended  over  Switzerland,  and  the  confederation  of 
the  Rhine.  Holland,  conquered  by  the  French  arms,  had 
surrendered  her  liberties,  and  been  converted  into  a  kingdom 
for  the  benefit  of  Loais  Buonaparte.  Naples  w.as  given  to  Mu>- 
rat,  after  his  mariage  with  the  princess  Caroline,  one  of  Na- 
poleon's sisters.  Bavaria  was  enlarged  by  territory  taken  from 
Austria,  after  the  battle  of  Austerlitz,,  in  1805.  The  Elector 
Maximilian, having  become  a  king,  gave  his  daughter  in  ma- 
riage to  Eugene  Beauharnais.  Atthe  same  period,  the  territory 
of  Wirtemberg  was  also  increased  at  the  expense  of  Austria, 
and  its  Elector  being  made  a  king,  subsequently  married  his 
daughter  to  Jerome  Buonaparte. 

Porlugal,  after  being  subdued,  was  governed  by  the  Duke 
d'Abrante's,  one  of  Napoleon's  lieutenants.  These  numerous 
aggrandizements  were  still  further  extended  by  new  con- 
quests, after  the  battles  of  Austerlitz  in  1805,  of  Ten  a,  of 
Friedland,  ofEylau,  which  occasioned  the  treaty  of  Tilsitt  in 
1807,  and  after  thai  of  Wagram  in  1809.  The  influence  of 
Austria  and  of  Prussia,  the  two  great  powers  of  Germany, 
was  so  much  reduced  by  the  curtailment  of  their  territories, 
that  Napoleon,  after  having,  at  their  expense,  transformed  Wir- 
ternberg,  Bavaria  and  Saxony  into  kingdoms,  increased  the 


—  64:-  — 

territory  of  Baden,  and  created  the  kingdonvof  Westphalia 
in  favor  of  his  brother  Jerome,  became  the  comptroller  ol 
Germany. 

But  Napoleon  should  have  considered  that,  although  it  is 
sometimes  quite  easy  tO'defeat  armies  and  tO'dictate  treaties,, 
it  is  always  difficult  to  amalgamate  different  nations,  and  to 
destroy  nationalities.  He  should  have  remembered  that  the 
Netherlands),  having  revolted  against  the  dominion  of  Philip 
the  2d,  of  Spain,  had  routed  the  veteran  troops  of  Spain,  and 
reconquered  their  independence.  During  the  reign  of  Philip 
the  4th,  the  Portuguese  had  also  thrown  off  the  yoke.  From 
these  examples,,  he  might  have  foreseen  that  the  Germans 
would  take  advantage  of  the  first  opportunity  to  rise  against 
the  rulers  who  had  been  forced  upon  them,  and  against  the 
despotism  of  the  man  who  had  destroyed  their  nationality-. 
The  crown  of.  Spain  was  about  being  bestowed  upon  Joseph 
Buonaparte,  when  the  Spaniards  revolted.  This  example  was 
successively  followed  by  all  the  nations  of  Europe ;  and  it 
was  under,  the  banner  of  the  independence  of  nations,  that 
the  allied  sovereigns  reeruited  innumerable  armies.  England, 
who  had  been  on  the  point  of  succombing,  was  found  every 
where  in  the  contest,  and  afforded  subsidies  to  all.  It  was  a 
war  of  extermination — Paris  against  London  ; — Rome  against 
Carthage.  But  in  this  contest,  Carthage  triumphed.  Han- 
nibal defeated  in  the  battle  of  Zama,  was  compelled  to  flee  his 
country,  ami  was  assassinated  in  a  foreign  land. 

By  the  treaty  of  1814,  Napoleon;  w-ho  had  swayed  the  con- 
tinent of  Europe,  and  caused  England  to  tremble,  was  confined 
in  the  Island  of  Elba.  In  1815,  St.  Helena  became  the  prison 
of  his  exile.  After  five  years  of  moral  tortures  inflicted  upon 
him  by  his  jailor,.sir  Hudson  Lowe,  his  physical  constitution 
being  at  last  exhausted,  this  great  man,  and  great  chieftain, 
descended  to  the  grave.  The  death  of  Napoleon  at  an  age 
when  life  is  usually  in  its  prime,  was  the  occasion  of  much 
comment.  It  was  generally  thought  that  he  had  succombed 
to  poison.: — Erroneous  impression!  Providence,  who  had 
shielded  him  in  a  hundred  battles,  did  not  protect  his  veterans 
against  ihe  burning  sun  of  Spain,  nor  the  snows  of  Russia- 


—  65  — 

—His  destiny  was  to  yield  as  it  were  to  the  combined  ele- 
ments, and  not  to  the  steel  of  his  enemies.  His  exile  to  St.- 
Helena  was  necessary  to  himself,  to  his  cotemporaries,  and  to 
posterity.  He  there  wrote  the  story  of  his  wonderful  cam- 
paigns ;  he  there  spoke  of  his  greatness,  as  well  as  of  his  er- 
rors, and  made  known  his  opinions  as  to  the  high  destinies  of' 
the  United  States,  and  the  dangers  with  which  the  west  of  Eu- 
rope was  threatened  at  the  hands  of  Russia.  "In  fifty  years," 
said  he,  "Europe  will  be  Republican  or  Cosack."  Fifty* 
years  have  scarcely,  elapsed,  and  Europe  is  in-  arms !  •  Europe- 
is  on  fire !  - 

After  having  uttered  this  great  prophecy;  after  having  written' 
out  his  campaigns  and  the  glorious  events  of  his  reign,  should 
Napoleon  have  lived  any  logger  upon  the  rock  of  St.  Helena  ? 
No !  death  had  become  the  fitting  close  of  his  wonderful  ca- 
reer, the  only  relief  to  his  sufferings.  God  then  issued  the 
decree  :  "Let  him  die ! . . .  he  has  been  a  mighty  Emperor, 
the  son  of  a  king,  Joinville  will  come,  on  a  future  day,  with 
Bertrand,  Gourgaud,  Las  Cases  and  Marchand,  the  compa- 
nions of  his  exile,  to  take  possession  of  his  body,  and  carry  it 
back  to  the  banks  of  the  Seine — Let  him  die!. . .  he  will  have 
for  a  winding  sheet  the  trieolored  banner,  which  he  caused  to 
wave  from  the  steeples  of  Lisbon  to  the  towers  of  the  Kremlin 
Let  him  die!  -.  .  .  he  has  been  a  king  of  kings.. .  and  benqath 
the  dome  of  the  Invalides,  he  shall  be  received  by  king  Louis 
Philippe. — Let  him  die! — whilst  the  Princes  of  the  church,  the 
Bishops  and  Archbishops,"will  invoke  the  heavens  in  his  behalf; 
whilst  they  will  prepare  the  holy  water  to  be  cast  upon  his 
inanimate  corpse, — the  old  soldiers  of  the  Invalides,  stooping 
upon  their  crutches, — the  Marshals  and  Generals  of  the  Empire, 
leaning  upon  their  swords,  will  sprinkle  with  their  tears  his 
mortal  remains." 

Reader,  answer  : — Should  he  have  lived  any  longer,  on  St.- 
Helena's  rock,  in  the  hands  of  the  executioner  ? 


' 
• 

SIXTH  PART. 

THE    UNITED   STATES. 


I  have  gone  into  some  details  as  to  the  territorial  expan- 
sions of  England,  France  and  Russia  ;  let  us  now  return  to 
the  territorial  aggrandizements  of  the  United  States. 

Convinced  that  she  could  not  advantageously  apply  the  co- 
lonial system  to  Louisiana,  France  offered  it  to  the  govern- 
ment of  Washington  for  80  millions  of  francs,  and  it  was  pur- 
chased. At  a  later  period,  Spain  perceiving  that  the  Floridas 
were  a  useless  burthen  to  her,  also  bargained  them  off 
with  the  United  States  for  five  millions  of  dollars,  stnd  the 
amount  was  paid.  Texas,  whose  independence  had  been  re- 
cognized by  England  and  France,  and  subsequently  by  other 
nations,  desired  to  become -a -member  oTthe  American  Union. 
She  needed  ten  millions  of  dollars  to  meet  the  debts  she  had 
contracted  during  the  war  with  Mexico:  the  government  of 
Washington  gave  her  the  amount.  After  the  annexation 
of  Texas  to  the  United  States,  the  Mexicans  were  the  aggres- 
sors :  they  crossed  the  Rio-Grande  and  murdered  several 
American  officers.  Hence,  as  I  have  said,  the  war  and  our  suc- 
cesses. Instead  of  keeping  forcible  possession  of  any  portion 
of  the  conquered  territories  ;  instead  of  exacting  from  Mexico 
lthe  costs  of  the  war,  the  cabinet  of  Washington  intimated  the 
desire  of  acquiring  New  Mexico,  a  region  which  had  never 
^Deen  of  any  utility  to  the  Mexican  Republic,  and  whose  in- 
habitants were  constantly  exposed  to  the  depredations  of  the 
Comanches,  together  with  California,  which  scarcely  num- 
bered more  than  fifteen  hundred  inhabitant*.  The  Mexican 


—  68  — 

government  acquiesced  in  the  proposition,  for  the  considera- 
tion of  fifteen  millions  of  dollars  which  were  paid  to  it. 

If  the  history  of  nations  be  consulted)  can  there  be  found 
one,  which  has  enlarged  its  domain  by  means  more  honor- 
able or  more  just,  than  those  which  have  been  hitherto  prac- 
tised by  frhe  American  people  ? 

f    ill 


• 


• 

• 
- 

. 

• 
. 

. 

• 
• 
• 


• 


SEVENTH    PART. 


OF    THB    MORAI,    INFLUENCE    OF    THE    UNITED    STATES    OPON 
THE    WORLD. 

The  power  of  the  United  Stales  government  all  over  the 
world,  lies  in  its  moral  influence,  which  cannot  be  diminished 
for  it  is   based  upon  our  institutions,  and  does  not  deperid 
upon  the  caprices  of  men.     The  writers  who  have  commented 
upon  the  wisdom  of  these   institutions,  have  shewn   to  the 
world,  that  with  the  American  people,  nothing  is  above  man 
but  God  and  the  law. 

France  became  agitated.  The  study,  and  the  knowledge 
of  American  institutions  gave  rise,  in  lhat  nation,  to  "the 
Meeting  of  the  Notables,  the  States  General,  the  National 
Assembly,  the  rights  of  man,  the  liberty  of  the  press,  equality 
under  the  laws,  abolition  of  feudal  privileges,  &c."  The  revo- 
lution produced  by  the  struggle  between  the  privileged  classes 
and  the  Third  Estates,  was  awful,  and  civil  war  brought  forth 
many  crimes ;  but  France  nevertheless  is  freeer,  and  more 
prosperous  at  this  day  than  she  was  in  1789.  Her  commerce, 
her  manufactures  and  agriculture,  have  made  immense  pro- 
gress— public  education  has  spread  its  blessings — and  her  po- 
pulation, which  amounted  to  25,000,000  only,  before  the  revo- 
lution, has  increased  to  37,000,000. 

The  principles  of  liberty  have  often  been  attacked  there, 
but  they  prevailed  however  during  the  reigns  of  Louis  the 
18th  and  Louis  Philip.  They  are  now  suppressed  by  an  iron 
hand ;  but  this  can  be  but  momentary.  Men  may  change 
or  die ; — the  roots  of  the  tree  of  liberty  cannot  be  destroyed. 

Now,  let  us  examine  the  course  of  all  nations  that  have 
been  strong  enough  to  shake  off  the  yoke  of  despotism  and  to 


—  70  — 

attain  independence,  and  let  us  see  whether  they  have  resorted 
to  absolutism,  or  to  representative  governments.  Belgium, 
Holland,  Piedmont,  Portugal,  Spain,  Sweden,  Denmark,  have 
adopted  Constitutions,  and  the  principles  of  two  represen- 
tative bodies,  and  of  the  Jury  in  criminal  affairs.  The  liber- 
ty of  the  press  is  subjected  in  its  extent  to  special  laws.  Where 
have  these  principles  been  resorted  to  ?  Is  it  in  Russia  or  in 
Austria? — No. 

South  America  has  shaken  off  the  thraldom  of  Spain. 
From  the  Rio-Grande  to  the  straits  of  Magellan,  republican 
governments  have  been  established,  modelled  upon  that  of  the 
United  States — with  the  exception  however  of  Brazil,  which 
is  governed  under  a  monarchical  constitution,  similar  to  that  of 
Portugal  or  of  Spain. 

A  few  years  only  have  elapsed,  since  the  star  spangled 
banner  has  been  planted  upon  the  shores  of  the  Pacific.  The 
Chinese  who  have  resorted  to  those  regions,  have  translated 
into  their  language  the  doctrines  of  our  institutions,  and  com- 
municated them  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  celestial  empire — 
and  China  is  already  involved  in  a  revolution  I  If  liberal  prin- 
ciples should  triumph  there,  before  thirty  years,  all  Asia  will 
have  proclaimed  them. 

In  presenting  :these  views  of  the  moral  influence  exercised 
upon  the  world  by  our  institutions  and  the  government  of 
Washington,  my  object  has  been  to  expose  the  error  and  ab- 
surdity of  the  principles  of  armed  intervention  set  up  by  cer- 
tain agitators  in  the  Congress  of  1851  and  '52.  These  de- 
claimers  have  taken  good  care  to  keep  from  the  eyes  of  the 
people  the  account  of  expenditures  that  Avould  be  occasioned 
by  the  carrying  out  of  such  principles,  and  the  consequences 
that  might  result  to  the  American  people. 


EIGHTH    PART. 


The  American  people,-  consisting  of  24,000,0000  of  soul.*, 
could  not  take  part  in  a  Avar  upon  the  European  continent, 
with  less  than,  a  force  of  50,000  men,  of  whom  six  thousand 
of  cavalry.  What  immense  equipments  would  be  required? 
What  quantities  of  provisions,  bread  stuffs  and  forage !  At 
least  300  ships  would  be  required  an  the  transportation  of  such 
an  army  and  its  equipments.  And, .as  such.  a. distant  expedi- 
dition  over  the  seas  would  have  to  be  escorted,  a  correspond- 
ing increase  in  our  national  navy  would  be  necessary.  Victors 
or  vanquished,  our  troops  would  have  to  be  brought  back  to 
the  United  States,  which  would  require  new  armaments.  We 
would  have  also  to  *  contend  against  the  navy  of  the  power 
with  which  we  had  engaged  .in  .war.  Privateers  would  cover 
the  seas  ;  ou-r  commerce  and  agriculture  would  be  parali zed, 
our  cottons,  tobacco,  bread  stuffs  and  sugar,  would  lose  their 
value.  Should  such  a  war  last  but  five  years,  it  would  cost 
more  than  a  thousand  millions  to  the  government  of  the 
United  States  and  its  citizens.  In.  view  of  such  a  picture,  of 
the  consequences  of  an  armed  intervention  in  European  af- 
fairs, and  which  is  by  no  means  exaggerated,  it  is  difficult 
to  conceive  that  there  have  beer,  in  the  United  States  agita-i 
tors  bold  enough  and  mad  enough,  to  proclaim  and  maintain 
such  dangerous  doctrines. 

Citizens  of  the  American  Union  !  cherish  and  enjoy  in 
peace  your  prosperity  and  your  wise  institutions  ;  the  great 
questions  which  gave  rise  to  the  spirit  of  party— the  pro- 
tective tarif,  the  annexations  of  territory,  the  United  States 
Bank,  are  now  settled  and  brought  to  an  end.  The  compro- 
mise of  1850,  has  allayed  the  passions  of  the  North  and  of 


—  72  — 

ihe  South ;  the  difficulties  solved  by  this  act  were  great  and 
portentous — they  might  have  brought  on  the  dissolution  of 
the  Union. 

The  Compromise  of  1850,  an  imperishable  monument  of 
wisdom,  was  for  the  greater  part,  the  work  of  an  illustrious 
citizen — of  an  aged  man;  who,  after  having  usefully  devoted 
fifty  years  of  his  life  to  tire  service  of  his  country,  had  retired 
from  public  affairs.  Although  1  did  not  participate  in  all  his  po- 
litical opinions,  I  ever  admired  his  noble  virtues,  his  great  ta- 
lents, and  his  warm  eloquence.  This  great  citizen  and  sage, 
on  hearing  that  Kentucky,  alarmed  at  the  portentous  questions 
of  the  dav,  had  summoned  him  from  his  retirement,  that  his 
mighty  voice  might  be  again  heard  in  the  United  States  Se- 
nate, obeyed  the  call,  and  repaired  to  the  Capitol.  There, 
when  the  crisis  arose,  all  were  astonished  to  see  his  eyes  glow- 
ing again  with  the  fire  of  patriotism,  as  in  his  youthful  days, 
his  physical  strength  revived,  and  his  moral  powers  deve- 
lopped  anew.'  It  was  not  a  question  of  party  in  which  he 
struggled  for  success,  it  was  one  of  general  and  vital  interest. 
His  patriotic  eloquence  attained  its  ends — all  were  moved 
and  captivated  by  it.  But  these  were  the  last  notes  of  the 
swan.  His  physical  powers,  exhausted  by  his  great  la- 
bors, soon  abandoned  him,  and  he  reclined  to  rise  no  more. 
Death  respected  yet  for  some  brief  days  the  head  as  well  as 
the  genius  of  the  patriot  statesman.  It  seized  only  upon  his 
feet,  which  it  congealed.  It  was  in  this  condition  of  suffering 
that  he  received  the  visit  of  Kossuth,  the  hun^arian  revoulu- 

*  ^O 

tionary  leader.  Extending  to  him  his  hand,  he  uttered  these 
noble  words  :  "I  deplore  the  calamities  of  your  country,  but 
our  institutions,  as  well  as  the  admonitions  of  the  immortal 
Washington,  forbid  us  all  armed  interventions — all  foreign 
alliances,  offensive  or  defensive.  They  enjoin  upon  us  only 
to  recognize  existing  governments,  as  we  find  them  in  other 
countries.  We  are  indebted  to  these  wise  precept?  for  the 
consideration  which  we  enjoy  abroad,  as  well  as  for  }he  pro- 
gress of  our  population,  our  commerce  and  our  agriculture.'.' 
These  words  were  soon  transmitted  to  all  parts  of  the  Union 
by  the  electric  telegraph.  They  became  impressed  upon  ih^ 


—  73  — 

mind  of  almost  every  citizen.  A  few  days  afterwards,  HENRY 
CLAY  expired. 

It  is  near  Lexington,  in<  Kentucky,  that  the  remains  of  this 
great  man  repose.  The  eloquent  men  of  Kentucky  combined 
to  write  his  epitaph :  by  common  consent,  they  determined  to 
inscribe  upon  his  tomb  .  .  .  HENRY  CLAY. 

The  citizens  of  the  United  States,  of  whatever  origin,  who 
find  this  mausoleum  before  them,  incline  their  heads  with 
respect  ;• — the  Kentuckian  approaches  it  slowly,  kneels,  and* 
mingles  with  his  tears  the  name  of  HENRY  CLAY. 


10 


. 

' 
• 

. 

•i!    -lit);!!   -.mi;       .  •  ',   [mil 

. 
• 


•;[t!«.i( 

' 

TO  MY  FELLOW  CITIZENS. 

. 

I  have  already  declared  rny  intention  to  continue  my  his- 
tory of  Louisiana  under  the  French,  Spanish  and  American 
governments.  To  bring  to  an  end  a  work  susceptible  of  such 
details,  several  years  are  required;  for  it  is  not  only  proper  to 
tell  of  the  achievements  and  the  misfortunes  of  the  knights 
who,  through  many  a  conflict,  conquered  Louisiana  from  the 
fierce  and  warlike  Indians,  and  to  record  the  names  of  those, 
who,  victims  of  their  courage,  were  burnt  alive  by  the  cruel 
savages; — but  it  is  becoming  also  to  speak  of  the  self-sacrifices, 
and  of  the  martyrdom  of  those  holy  Missionaries,  who,  in  the 
attempt  to  convert  the  savages  to  Christianity,  were  treated  as 
imposters,  and  condemned  to  the  stake.  Thence,  passing  in 
review  the  different  governments  that  have  existed  in  Loui- 
siana, and  their  effects,  it  will  be  necessary  to  speak  of  the 
causes  that  brought  on  the  sad  catastrophe  of  the  25th  October 
1769,  in  which  Lafreniere,  Marquis,  de  Noyan,  Millet  andCa- 
resse,  were  put  to  death  by  the  orders  of  O'Reilly, — and  to 
make  known  the  infamous  conduct  of  the  last  French  com- 
mandant, Charles  Aubry,  who  became  the  accuser  of  his  coun- 
trymen. After  having  shewn  that  O'Reilly  exceeded  the 
powers  conferred  upon  him  by  Charles  the  3d.  king  of  Spain, 
I  shall  record  the  heroism  of  a  fair  creole,  Madam  de  Lafre- 
niere, who  unable  to  save  the  life  of  her  husband,  obtained  from 
O'Reilly  that  Lafreniere  and  his  companions  in  misfortune 
should  be  shot,  in  lieu  of  the  punishment  of  the  rope  to  which 
they  had  been  condemned. 

To  move  the  heart  of  this  cannibal,  clothed  in  the  uniform 
of  Lieutenant-General  of  the  king,  Madam  de  Lafreniere, 
after  having  stated  that  she  was  the  grand  daughter  of  the 
chevalier  d'Arensbourg,  one  of  the  heroes  of  Sweden,  and 
former  aid-de-camp  to  Charles  the  12th  who  for  some  years 
had  ruled  over  the  North  of  Europe,  represented  1o  him  the 
horror  of  such  a  punishment,  and  the  humiliation  that  would 
be  inflicted  upon  her  noble  race — upon  the  old  companion  in 


—  76  — 

arms  of  king  Charles  the  12th, — "my  grand  sire,"  exclaimed  the 
noble  woman,  "will  die  of  shame  and  grief!  do  not  disgrace  us 
by  an  infamous  punishment !" —  "you  may  retire  Madam,"  an- 
swered O'Reilly,  "I  will -take  your  prayer  into  consideration." 
Accordingly,  the  mode  of  execution  was  changed. 

Such  is  the  slight  outline  of  the  work  which  I  propose. 
Having  nearly  attained  the  age  of  seventy;  having  lost  my 
fortune  and  independence,  it  is  ail  arduous  task  which  I 
undertake. 

Reader,  I  solicit  in  advance  yotif  indulgence,  in  view  of  the 
motives  which  renovate  my  strength  and  make  me  almost 
forget  my  years  and  my  troubles.  I  venture  to  hope  that  Pro- 
vidence will  aid  me,  and  that  my  moral  energies  will  not  be 
wanting. 

I  also  hope,  my  beloved  countrymen,  that  you  will  say,  at 
some  future  day:  "We  have  read  the  work  of  old  Bernard  Ma- 
rigny — we  have  recognized  therein  his  patriotism.  To  noble 
hearts,  the  native  land  is  ever  dear !....'' 

n  j<I  ili. 

V3ti 

New  Orleans.  May  10th,  1854:  ''""^ 

.    '  ,({(    vrf  »ni[    9V » 

liii  erfJ  nwooi  ••< 

-m.'»V>r-.il!  'It'  '  •'Un 

.  ii-jfl'O    tKilt    ir.  ionA     .nam^U 

70<J 

-9i  5  •  -  • 

.•Gil<ml  J  od'-nr  ,•?•• 

»dl  k>^65nrJl^jjn«^fff^X          '  ' 

^^  ^0^^15*1 

.•lit  nt  J><»i!roh   ,1:  ;dl  1o  iinoi!  yrfJ  ovom  oT 

•nil  ';:>  • 

>fb 
- 

•(m  bfiri 

iTOjf 

ni  iioijurtjino-)  bio  »Hl   noqw — &:>BI   :•! 


DOCUMENTS. 

------~--.~ 

K(E-l(0)[L[y)TQ©[M 

FOR   THE   PURCHASE   OF   THE   POLITICAL 
HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED   STATES, 

BY    BERNARD     MARIGNY. 

Whereas  the  Honorable  Bernard  Marigny  has  written  a 
work  upon  the  Political  History  of  the  United  States,  from 
1784  to  the  present  time,  showing  the  aggrandizement  of  the 
United  States  as  compared  with  the  kingdoms  of  England, 
Russia  and  France  under  the  Republic  and  under  the  Empire, 
containing  also  a  variety  of  statistics  of  the  kingdom  of  Spain 
and  the  Island  of  Cuba,  and  the  means  which  could  be  em- 
ployed to  induce  Spain  to  sell  the  Island  of  Cuba  to  the 
United  States: 

And  considering  that  parts  of  said  work  have  been  read  by 
Mr.  Marjgny.in  the  French  language  in  the  Hall  of  the  House 
of  Rje,presentatives,  to  a  large  number  of  the  members  of  the 
Legislature,  who  think  that  the  work  translated  and  published 
in  the  English  Language,  would  be  advantageous  to  the  State 
and  the  United  States :  Therefore, 

Be  it  resolved  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives 
of  the  State  of  Louisiana  in  General  Assembly  convened  : 
That  the  Governor  be  and  he  is  hereby  authorized  to  subscribe 
for  one  thousand  copies  of  said  work,  viz  :  five  hundred  copies 
in  English,  and  five  hundred  copies  in  French;  and  that  the 
sum  of  one  dollar  be  paid  to  said  Bernard  Marigny  for  each 
and  every  copy  of  said  work,  on  the  warrant  of  the  Auditor  of 
Public  Accounts,  out  of  any  monies  not  otherwise  appropriated. 

[Signed]         JNO.  M.  SANDIDGE,      - 

Speaker  of  the  House' of  Representatives. 
[Signed]         W.  W.  FARMER, 

Lieut.  Governor  and  President  of  the  Senate. 

Approved  March,  loth,  1854. 

[Signed]         P.  O.  HEBERT, 
bj.  Governor  oi  the  State  oi  Louisiana. 


—  78  — 

^OFFICE  OF  THE  SECRETARY  OF  STATE.] 
I  hereby  certify  the  foregoing  to  be  a  true  and  correct  copy 
of  the  resolution  entitled  "Resolution  for  the  purchase  of  the 
Political  History  of  the  United  States,  by  Bernard  Marigny," 
approved  March  loth.  1854.  Given  under  my  hand  and  the 
seal  of  the  State,  at  Baton  Rouge,  this  16th  day  of  March,  A. 
D.  1854.  ANDREW  S.  HERRON, 

Secretary  of  State. 



. 

LEGISLATURE  OF  MISSISSIPPI. 

. 

Memorial  of  the  Legislative  Council  and  of  the  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives of  the  Mississippi  territory. — 5th  January  1803. 

TO   THE    SENATE     AND    HOUSE    OF    REPRESENTATIVES    OF    THE 

' 


UNITED  STATES. 


Your  petitioners  beg  leave  to  express  their  sentiments  in 
relation  to  an  event,  by  which  the  interests  of  Western  Ame- 
rica in  general,  and  of  this  territory  in  particular,  are  materially 
affected.  The  treaty  of  San  Lorenzo  had  guaranteed  the  free 
navigation  of  the  Mississippi,  and  a  convenient  place  of  de- 
posit thereon  to  American  merchants,  for  their  goods  and  mer- 
chandize. It  politically  incorporated  this  region  with  the  rest 
of  the  Uflited  States.  We  beheld  o/ur  commerce  flourishing, 
our  prosperity  rapidly  increasing,  an<& 'congratulated  ourselves 
in  being  the  free  and  happy  citizens  of  an  Independent  Repu- 
bliq.  Relying  upon  the  national  faith  for  the  preservation  of 
these  privileges,  acquired  as  they  were  by  express  stipulations, 
we  had  indulged  the  hope  that  this  prosperity  would  be  lasting. 
The  motives  which  have  induced  the  Spanish  government  to 
deny  us  this  place  of  deposit,  are  a  subject  of  conjecture — but 
it  cannot  be  doubted  that  the  act  in  itself  is  a  violation  of  the 
treaty  contracted  with  that  nation. 

A  recent  order  of  the  government  of  Louisiana  has  been 
promulgated,  by  which  all  communications  between  citizens  of 
the  United  States,  and  subjects  of  Spain,  are  prohibited.  This 
order,  has  occasioned  new  trammels  upon  our  commerce,  and 


—  79  — 

seems  inspired  by  sentiments  still  more  hostile  to  the  United 
States,  than  the  preceding  one. 

Your  petitioners,  confiding  in  the  energy,  the  wisdom  and 
the  justice  of  the  general  government,  remain  convinced  that 
it  will  refuse  no  aid,  which  the  circumstances  demand.  As  to 
ourselves,  we  offer  to  our  country,  our  lives  and  our  fortunes 
to  support  such  measures  as  Congress  may  deem  adviseable, 
to  maintain  the  honor,  and  to  defend  the  interests  of  the  United 
States.  [Signed]  W.  G.  TORMAN, 

Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives. 
JOHN  ELLIS— President  of  the  Council. 
._' 

AN     ADDRESS 

m  ci  TT  T> 

To   THE    SENATE    AND    HOUSE    OF    REPRESENTATIVES  OF  THE 

TT  Q 

UNITED  STATES. 

i  January 1803-     -iii 

We,  the  undersigned,  inhabitants  of  the  western  country, 
respectfully  represent,  that  the  port  of  N.e\v  Orleans  has  been* 
closed  against  us,. by  a  decree  of  the  Spanish  Intendant  :  that 
we  are  indebted  to  the  United  States  for.  taxes  arreared^  and. 
for  current  taxation,  and  that  we  have  no  means  to  meet 
them,  but  the  products  of  our  farms — that  these  must  rot /in 
our  barns,  excluded  as  we  are  from  .a  market  in  the  East,  .un- 
less the  government  consents  to  receive  them. at  a  reasoaable 
price,  or  resolves  to  protect  us  in  the  enjoyment  of  a  legitimater 
commerce; — that  we  humbly,  deem  prompt  and  decisive  mea- 
sures to  be  necessary— the  maxim  that  -"allegiance  and  pro- 
tection are  reciprocal,"  being  peculiarly  applicable  ta.our  p®* 
sition..  Whilst  declaring  our  .confidence  in.  the  government 
of  the. Union,  and  giving  assurance  of  our  cooperation  in.  all 
measures  that  may  be  adopted  to.  vindicate  the  just  rights  of 
every  portion  of  the  United  Stales,  we.  must  assert  that  we 
have  the  right  to  demand,  and  we  do  ask,.that  the  government 
should  adopt  the  measures  necessary  to  guarantee,  us  inUhe 
exercise  of  a  legitimate  trade,  or  that  it  should  relieve  us  at 
once  of  all  tribute  whatever.  Without  interfering  in  the 
measures  which  may  be  adopted  to  bring  about  the  amicable 
arrangement  of  a  difficulty  which  has  arisen  from  the  gratui- 


tous  violation  of  a  solemn  treaty,  we  desire  it  to  be  explicitly 
understood  by  the  United  States— Uiat  our  situation  is  critical ; 
that  the  delay  of  a  single  season  tcoiild  be  ruinous  to  our  section 
of  munlru,  and  that,  consequently,  ice  mat/ be  compelled  by  cm  im- 
perious necessity,  unless  relief  be  obtained,  to  adopt  among-  Our- 
selves the  measures  we,  may  judge,  necessary  for  the  protection  of 
our  commerce,  even  should  such  measures  be  productive  of  unfa- 
vorable consequences  to  the  harmony  oftJw  confederation. 

.      . 


.  •  ...  -.  — —  • 

- 

LETTER  WRITTEN  FROM  NEW  ORLEANS,  IN  1803. 

• 
The  French  Prefect  has  arrived.     His  professions  towards 

the  Americans  are  for  the  present  quite  friendly.  But  I  pre- 
sume that  after  the  establishment  of  the  French  government, 
his  tone  will  change.  He  awaits  the  arrival  of  General  Vic- 
tor and  the  French  troops,  before  entering  upon  his  ad- 
ministration. Every  'expedient  will  be  adopted,  to  keep  us 
quiet  under  delusive  hopes.  All  the  inhabitants  of  the  place, 
with  the  exception  of  a  fewr  Creoles,  ardently  wish  that  the 
people  of  the  West  should  resort  to  energetic  measures. 

A  place  of  deposit  is  still  denied  us  :  we  have  the  finest  op- 
portunity to.  procure  indemnity  for  the  past,  and:  security  for 
the  future.  If  we  fail  to  take  advantage  of  it,  I  fear  that  it 
will  never  occur  again.  A  handful  of  men  could  take  this 
place ;  they  would  meet  with  little  or  no  resistance.  You 
would  be  astonished  to  see  the  great  interest  which  is  felt 
here  in  the  future  prospects  of  our  nation,  and  the  enthousia.sm 
with  which  the  speeches  of  our  senators,  who  urged  that  the 
country  should  be  immediately  seized,  are  read  and  re-"' 
ported. 

I  urgently  ask  that  the  militia  of  the  West  should  be  armed 
and  equipped  without  delay — so  that  a  moment  should  not 
be  lost  to  put  us  in  a  position  to  secure  our  own  safety.  Our 
enemies  charge  us  with  a  want  of  public  spirit.  The  Span- 
iards who  are  established  here,  perceive  the  precipice  to  the 
brink  of  which  their  government  has  been  brought  by  the  in- 
trigues of  French  policy  :  and  like  men  in  despair,  they  dare 


—  81  — • 

not.  look  at  the  future.  They  are  impatient  of  our  delays  ; 
they  often  express  surprise  at  our  moderation  and  pusillani- 
mity. 

I  fear  that  our  plan  of  riegociation  may  produce  nothing  but 
delay.  If  it  should  not  succeed,  I  shall  lament  the  unfortunate 
consequences,  to  our  degraded  country. 


GIFT  OF    THK    STATE    OF    LOUISIANA,  TO  THE    FAMILY  OF    THE    LATE 

THOMAS    JEFFERSON,  AS  A  TESTIMONIAL  OF  ITS  GRATITUDE  TO   HIM 

WHO    FROM  A    DEPENDANT  COLONY,     HAD  RAISED  IT  TO  TUK 

POSSESSION  OF  A  FREE  STATE,    &c." 

When  Thomas  Jefferson  had  ceased  to  live,  testimonials  of 
public  affection  reached  his  family  from  all  quarters-,  with 
offerings  presented  by  legislatives  bodies,  and  committees 
formed  in  the  principal  cities.  These  proofs  of  universal  gra- 
titude towards  a  departed  patriot,  came  to  contrediet  from  all 
quarters  the  charge  of  ingratitude  which  has  so  often  been 
brought  against  Republics. 

Henry  Johnson,  then  governor  of  Loifisi'ana,  addressed  a 
message  on  this  subject,  to  the  House  of  Representatives  of  the 
State.  In  the  report  of  the  committee  thereon,  are  the  follow- 
ing words;  "Thomas  Jefferson,  one  of  the  principal  founders 
of  those  liberal  institutions  that  are  the  envy  of  other  nations, 
has  died  in  poverty.  He,  who  has  so  greatly  contributed  to 
the  establishment  of  our  social  edifice,  is  entitled  to  the  grati- 
tude of  all  the  States  of  the  Union;  but  Louisiana,  is  above 
all  others,  indebted  to  him:  it  was  he,  ivho,  frdm  a  dependent 
colony,  made  her  a  free  State,  &c." 

In  accordance  with  this  report,  the  legislature  OH  the  Ifith 
March,  1827,  passed  an  act  as  follows  \ 

"Thomas  Jefferson,  after  a  life  devoted  to'  the  service  of  his 
country,  and  of  the  human  race,  has  died,  leaving  to  his  chil- 
dren as  their  only  heritage,4  the  example  of  his  virtues,  and 
gratitude  of  the  people,  whose  independence  he  proclaimed 
to  the  world.  The  Legislature  of  Louisiana,  a  Slate  acquired 


—  82  — 

to  the  Union  by  his  wisdom  and  foresight,  and  indebted  to 
him  for  its  political  and  civil  liberty — in  order  to  perpetuate 
the  remembrance  of  its  profound  respect  for  the  talents  and 
virtues  of  this  great  public  benefactor,  hay,  through  the  Senate 
and  House  of  Representatives  of  Louisiana,  enacted  this  law, 
in  order  that  the  sum  of  ten  thousand  dollars  be  paid  to 
Thomas  Jeflerson  Randolph — the  revenues  thereof,  to  be  en- 
joyed by  the  widow,  and  to  be  transmitted  through  her  to 
the  heirs." 


ERRATA. 

To  the  page  5,  line  28,  instead  of  1851  read  18SO. 

To  the  page  2-9,  line  38,  instead  of  Berefcford  read   Witelock. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 

Los  Angeles 
This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below. 


.JAN  3 


SEP  19 

«CT  *  8  195 


REC'D  ID-URL 

FEB231S98 


Form  L9 — 15m-10,'48(B1039)444 


E 

183.7 

M33t 


1158012415203 


UC  SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 


A    001  112781     8 


